The Handbook provides a comprehensive statement and reference point for hazard and disaster research, policy making, and practice in an international and multi-disciplinary context. Specifically, it aims to provide critical reviews and appraisals of the current state of the art and future development of conceptual, theoretical and practical approaches as well as empirical knowledge and available tools.

One intention is to encourage dialogue across disciplinary barriers among notions of 'disaster risk reduction' and 'vulnerability' (central concepts within the hazards and disaster community), 'climate change adaptation' and 'sustainable livelihood security' (core notions underlying much work within the climate and environmental studies community), and 'poverty reduction' (which remains a pivotal rallying point within development studies). The international reach and scope of the Handbook's coverage and contributors' experience allow engagement with and reflection upon these bridging and linking themes as well as the politics and policy of how we think about and practice applied hazard research and disaster risk reduction.

Foreword 1. Challenging Risk: We Offer the Reader a Left Foot Book Section 1: Big Picture Views - Hazards, Vulnerabilities and Capacities 2. Introduction to Section 1: Big Picture Views - Hazards, Vulnerabilities and Capacities 3. Framing Disaster: Theories and Stories Seeking to Understand Hazards, Vulnerability and Risk 4. Historical Concepts of Disasters and Risk 5. Politics; power and disasters 6. Human Rights, Disasters and State Obligations 7. Violent Conflict, Natural Hazards and Disaster 8. Culture, Hazard and Disaster 9. Knowledge and Disaster Risk Reduction 10. Religious Interpretations of Disaster 11. Hazards and Disasters Represented in Film 12. Hazards and Disasters Represented in Music 13. Hazard, Risk and Urbanisation 14. Disaster Risk and Sustainable Development Section 2: Fine-Grained Views - Hazards, Vulnerabilities and Capacities 15. Introduction to Section 2: Fine-Grained Views - Hazards, Vulnerabilities and Capacities 16. Data Sources on Hazards 17. Tools for Identifying Hazards 18. Hazard, Risk and Climate Change 19. Coastal Storm 20. Thunderstorm and Tornado 21. Flood 22. Drought 23. Extreme Heat and Cold 24. Wildfire 25. Landslide and other Mass Movements 26. Earthquake 27. Tsunami 28. Volcanic Eruption 29. Soil Erosion and Contamination 30. Human Epidemic 31. Livestock Epidemic 32. Plant Disease, Pests and Erosion of Biodiversity 33. Hazards From Space 34. Disability and Disaster 35. Gender, Sexuality and Disaster 36. Children, Youth and Disaster 37. Elderly People and Disaster 38. Caste, Ethnicity, Religious Affiliation and Disaster Section 3: Preparedness and Response 39. Introduction to Section 3: Preparedness and Response 40. Early Warning Principles and Systems 41. Preparedness, Warning and Evacuation 42. Emergency Management Principles 43. From Damage and Needs Assessments to Relief 44. Health Care and Disaster 45. Food Security and Disaster 46. Settlement and Shelter Reconstruction 47. Psycho-Social Recovery 48. Socio-Economic Recovery Section 4: Planning, Prevention and Mitigation 49. Introduction to Section 4: Planning, Prevention and Mitigation 50. International Planning Systems for Disaster 51. National Planning and Disaster 52. Local Government and Disaster 53. Urban and Regional Planning and Disaster 54. Financial Mechanisms for Disaster Risk 55. Economic Development Policy and Disaster Risk 56. Protection of Infrastructure 57. Social Protection and Disaster 58. Livelihood Protection and Support and Disaster 59. Community Action and Disaster 60. Civil Society and Disaster 61. University Research's Role in Reducing Disaster Risk 62. Education and Disaster 63. Media, Communication and Disaster 64. Participatory Action Research and Disaster Risk Section 5: Conclusion 65. Challenging Risk: Has the Left Foot Stepped Forward?

Ben Wisner is a retired Professor who has worked on the interface between disaster risk reduction and sustainable human development since 1966. He currently conducts research and advises institutions such as the Global Network of Civil Society for Disaster Reduction.

JC Gaillard is Senior Lecturer at the School of Environment of The University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Ilan Kelman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research-Oslo (CICERO).