Black wave : how networks and governance shaped Japan's 3/11 disasters /

Aldrich (Northeastern Univ.) provides a lucid assessment of how well-developed social networks and good governance together guided and shaped the outcome of Japan's survival and recovery from the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Communities with strong networks recovered faster and more completely, since they set up flexible communication and control structures and established links for afflicted communities to access important resources, information, and assistance. The disaster even opened policy windows with potential for change in several fields, and identified best practices and policy instruments for use in future disaster preparation. It further highlighted existing issues in Japan such as the long-term trend of rural depopulation, the lack of economic innovation and development of the periphery, and the growing popular desire to move away from nuclear power toward renewable energy sources such as solar, thermal, and wind. This was largely thanks to the Tohoku residents' ability to connect with their decision-makers, who responded quickly and efficiently, enabling the region and the country to recover more quickly and thoroughly than anyone anticipated. As Japan now explores new energy solutions, it is also pursuing greater energy efficiency and conservation as a result. This presents a great model for other nations. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. --Sophia Crysler Hart, College of William and Mary