Recent disasters have included the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, bomb explosions in London, Hurricane Katrina, the Pakistan Earthquake, floods in Central America and landslides in Indonesia. This timely Handbook is based on the principle that disasters are social constructions and focuses on social science disaster research. This seminal reference work is the first interdisciplinary collection of disaster research as it stands now while outlining how the field will continue to grow, especially post 9/11. It provides an interdisciplinary approach to disasters with theoretical, methodological, and practical applications. Attention is given to conceptual issues dealing with the concept "disaster" and to methodological issues relating to research on disasters. These include Geographic Information Systems as a useful research tool and its implications for future research.