Why wasn’t New York better prepared for Hurricane Sandy? Why did seven hundred and thirty-nine people die in Chicago’s 1995 heat wave? Instances of natural disasters are on the rise, and few places are ready. In this talk, Eric Klinenberg draws on his recent New Yorker article “Adaptation” and his book on the great Chicago heat wave to explore the concept of “climate-proofing” our cities. He provides a dramatic, tragic story of what can happen when cities and nations fail to learn from previous disasters, and an argument for how they can use recent history and cutting-edge science to become more resilient and better prepared.
Eric Klinenberg is professor of sociology, public policy, and media, culture, and communications at New York University. His most recent book, Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone, was published in 2012. He is also the author of award-winning books Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago andFighting for Air: The Battle to Control America’s Media.
Klinenberg will speak at 4:30 pm, October 16, in Room 165 of Thompson Library as part of the Public Humanities lecture series. Reception to follow.
Co-sponsored with the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, the Department of Sociology, and ETS (Environment, Technology, and Science) in the Department of History.
