Are events that create major casualties or social, economic, psychological disruptions such as ethnic clashes in Bosnia or the AIDS epidemic, the same kind of social crises as those generated by natural and technological happenings such as earthquakes and chemical explosions? In What Is A Disaster? contributors from six disciplines offer their views on what a disaster is.

Some contributors argue for a continuation of the traditional approach to disasters, while others contend that behavioral aspects of disasters can only be understood by looking at them subjectively, particularly from the viewpoint of victims. This collection explores the many conceptual differences that exist concerning what a disaster is, and presents important implications for both theory and practice.