Abstract

Knowledge of politics and practices implemented by past societies can be very useful in today’s elaboration of prevention strategies and disaster responses. This session focuses on how historical processes have influenced the construction of disaster management policies, and how art and humanities approaches can be used to elicit the prevention of future disasters through two case studies: on the one hand the city of Quito (Ecuador), that has expanded over a territory affected by repeated earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides/mudflows/inundations throughout modern history, on the other, the volcanic eruption of the Laki fissure (Iceland), which caused lava flows, poisoned fields, and famine in Iceland and a fog of volcanic gases across the northern hemisphere.