David Etkin is an Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management at York University, Toronto Canada. He has contributed to several national and international natural hazard projects including the 2nd U.S. national assessment of natural hazards, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), two NATO workshops, was Principal Investigator of the Canadian National Assessment of Natural Hazards, and is Past President of the Canadian Risk and Hazards Network. His research interests focus on disaster management, risk and climate change. He has over 80 publications to his credit, including 6 edited volumes.

• 1. What is a Disaster?2. Disaster Data (with Susan MacGregor)3. Disaster Risk4. Hazard, Vulnerability, and Resilience5. Disasters and Complexity6. Disaster Models7. Myths and Fallacies8. The Poetry of Disaster (with Nicole Cooley)9. Ethics and Disaster (with Peter Timmerman)10. Workshop on Principles of Disaster Management (with Ian Davis)11. Final ReflectionsAppendix1. Selected Disaster Data2. Statistics Canada3. Interviews with Ian Burton and Ken Hewitt

"...a well-argued, learned and readable case for studying and planning for disasters...Altogether a thought-provoking book worth a look by far more people than those interested in the subject of the title and sub-title."--Professional Security Magazine Online"Professor David Etkin has developed a standout text that not only provides foundational information but does so in such a way as to actively engage students to gain a deeper understanding of the material, encouraging them to contemplate and learn more, rather than simply absorb what is given." --Jane Kushma, Doctoral Program Director, Department of Emergency Management, Jacksonville State University"[Disaster Theory] is rather a very broad, sweeping analysis and eclectic tour of the field of disaster studies, both local and global, ancient and modern, theoretical and practical...[It] draws upon an impressive range of fields and literature to raise questions about disasters." --Ian Burton, Scientist Emeritus, Meteorological Service of Canada; Emeritus Professor, University of Toronto"[Disaster Theory] will be an excellent resource for students in a wide variety of disaster and hazard studies courses. The writing style is crisp and the integration of materials—be they case studies, photos, or graphics across both multiple social science discipline and relevant contributions from the humanities—provide depth and perspective never before available." --Thomas E. Drabek, Professor and Professor Emeritus, Department of Sociology and Criminology, University of Denver