| List of Figures, Tables and Boxes | |
| List of Contributors | |
| Acknowledgements | |
| List of Acronyms and Abbreviations | |
| Introduction: Mapping Vulnerability | 1 |
| 1 | Theorizing Vulnerability in a Globalized World: A Political Ecological Perspective | 10 |
| 2 | The Historical Geography of Disaster: 'Vulnerability' and 'Local Knowledge' in Western Discourse | 25 |
| 3 | The Need for Rethinking the Concepts of Vulnerability and Risk from a Holistic Perspective: A Necessary Review and Criticism for Effective Risk Management | 37 |
| 4 | Complexity and Diversity: Unlocking Social Domains of Disaster Response | 52 |
| 5 | The Lower Lempa River Valley, El Salvador: Risk Reduction and Development Project | 67 |
| 6 | El Nino Events, Forecasts and Decision-making | 83 |
| 7 | Vulnerable Regions versus Vulnerable People: An Ethiopian Case Study | 99 |
| 8 | From Vulnerability to Empowerment | 115 |
| 9 | Progress in Analysis of Social Vulnerability and Capacity | 128 |
| 10 | Vulnerability Reduction: A Task for the Vulnerable People Themselves | 145 |
| 11 | Macro-economic Concepts of Vulnerability: Dynamics, Complexity and Public Policy | 159 |
| 12 | Gendering Vulnerability Analysis: Towards a More Nuanced Approach | 174 |
| 13 | Assessment of Capability and Vulnerability | 183 |
| Conclusion: Vulnerability Analysis as a Means of Strengthening Policy Formulation and Policy Practice | 194 |
| Notes | 206 |
| References | 212 |
| Index | 233 |