This ground-breaking book, edited by a leading academic at the University of Osaka, assembles interdisciplinary perspectives seeking to understand the globalization of modern society by examining the calamitous 2008 earthquake in China with its epicenter in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province. Addressing the human science dimensions of the reconstruction of resilient communities using the insights of Chinese and international researchers ensures a unique contribution to the urgent questions of disaster prevention and recovery, in the process developing theoretical innovation and practical public policy responses. Essential reading for those wishing to understand the complexity of social dynamics in times of crisis.