ABSTRACT
Urban activist Jane Jacobs (1961/1993) famously noted that cities are life at its most complex and intense. This is arguably at its peak when a city is dealing with the consequences of natural disasters such as an earthquake or severe drought. While governments have a significant role to play in planning for and responding to such events, the disaster management literature suggests that communities must also play a substantive role in their own preparedness, response, and ultimate recovery (Twigg 2009; Vallance 2011a). Indeed, the social fabric of community, including social networks, support structures, and social capital, is essential for building and sustaining resilience (Hegney et al. 2008). However, what this might entail in a given context is rarely articulated.
