The meeting aims to get in-depth knowledge on possible combinations of social and natural sciences approaches in vulnerability research (related to NH9.2):
“Vulnerability” has become a buzz word over the last years in natural hazards research. At the same time - and this is maybe one reason for its popularity – it is a quite fuzzy term: Dozen of different definitions of vulnerability are used. The only common understanding seems to be that “vulnerability” is a concept which allows to somehow considering the impacts or receptors of natural hazards and not only the hazard itself. One reason for the multiplicity of different definitions and concepts is that different scientific disciplines are working with this term: natural scientists, engineers, social scientists, economist or geographers. Each discipline defines vulnerability in a way which fits to their disciplinary terminology and methodology. With our splinter meeting we want to trigger two series of discussions:
1. We want to show different disciplinary approaches of vulnerability to natural hazards.
2. We want to show possibilities for integrative approaches of vulnerability.