Title: A constructivist framework for disaster risk policy in Zimbabwe

Authors: Paul Chipangura; Dewald Van Niekerk; Gerrit Van Der Waldt

Addresses: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, African Centre for Disaster Studies, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, School for Geo- and Spatial Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa ' African Centre for Disaster Studies, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, School for Geo- and Spatial Sciences, North-West University, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa ' Focus Area: Social Transformation, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa

Abstract: While the academic literature has established the importance of the constructivism perspective in disaster risk management, there remains a gap in how to embrace constructivism in disaster risk decision making in many countries. The framework presented in this article is a step towards translating the conceptualisation of disaster risk as a social construct into a practical set of arrangements that practitioners can use to navigate the complex and fluid landscape of disaster risk problems and solutions, especially in Zimbabwe. The framework constitutes a five-stage process of inclusivity, diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational framing and evaluation. The article concludes that this framework could help in increasing stakeholder empowerment thereby making planning and decision-making process more transparent and democratic. Furthermore, this framework may facilitate the building of trust, ownership, and consensus that ultimately increase the legitimacy to policy decisions and stakeholder support in disaster risk reduction.

Keywords: constructivism; Zimbabwe; disaster risk reduction; risk policy; governance; framework.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRAM.2020.114370

International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management, 2020 Vol.23 No.3/4, pp.236 - 254

Accepted: 06 Jun 2020
Published online: 20 Apr 2021 *

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