Disaster Law: Principles and Practice

Disaster Law: Principles and Practice is an extraordinary and comprehensive contribution to law, governance, and public policy research in current times, which would act as an essential resource for judicial and administrative professionals, students, and researchers in law, governance, sociology, political science, and public administration across India and South Asia. This authoritative text offers a global perspective on comparative legal frameworks governing disaster management, providing in-depth analysis and practical insights to enhance resilience and governance.

Through a farsighted and critical exploration of the jurisprudential history of administrative responsibility, accountability, and respect for law, this book presents sustainable solutions in an era of climate change, zoonotic pandemics, habitat destruction, and unsustainable development, drawing from extensive research in disaster-prone regions across India, Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific. This work integrates real-life encounters with affected communities and businesses, offering valuable lessons for policymakers, legal professionals, and academics.

Rather than viewing disasters solely through the lens of penalties for oversight and negligence, this book advocates for recognising inherent liabilities toward the sustenance of all life forms on Earth. It explores the evolution of disaster law through compelling case studies, highlighting both successes and challenges across jurisdictions. With clear, actionable strategies for implementing legal frameworks, this comprehensive, interdisciplinary volume empowers communities and governments to better prepare for unforeseen events.

Disaster law and policy with varying components has been introduced as a subject under regular undergraduate courses, post-graduate courses, diploma and certificate courses by various institutions. This book, the very first of its kind, will be immensely useful for students enrolled in these courses. Disaster Law: Principles and Practice is a thought-provoking and solution-oriented guide that aims to transform disaster law into a tool for resilience and sustainability.

About the Author

Amita Singh is a renowned expert in disaster law, with over two decades of experience in governance and legal research. Her commitment to enhancing legal frameworks for disaster resilience has made significant impacts globally.

Table of cases
1. Disasters and the Disaster Law
2. The Jurisprudence of Disaster Law: From God to Zoonotics
3. Comparative Legal Frameworks: India and South Asia
4. Incorporating Intersectionality of Discriminated Identities in Disaster Law
5. Administrative Law and Disaster Law: Addressing Negligence, Responsibility and Accountability
6. Disaster Law and a Resilient Foreign Trade
7. International Disaster Response Laws
8. Disaster Diplomacy and Disaster Law
9. Epilogue
Subject Index