Earthquakes takes a much needed international and interdisciplinary approach to this complex natural and social phenomenon. This collection will prove an invaluable resource for earthquake researchers and emergency managers and planners.

The third section addresses social vulnerability to earthquakes, including individual perception and response, economic impacts and systematic inequities in vulnerability. The fourth part of the anthology deals with emergency planning and disaster response, while a final section takes up humanistic approaches to cultural and ethical issues in earthquake prone regions. Earthquakes takes a much-needed interdisciplinary and international approach to this complex natural and social phenomenon. The collection will provide earthquake researchers with access to the best of the current work in a wide variety of related disciplines. It will also prove an invaluable resource for emergency managers and planners who need a comprehensive resource on a hazard that they must address in a particular place and in a particular but theoretically-grounded manner.

Introduction Part 1: Physical Dynamics Focal mechanisms triggering quakes Earthquake Progression, distribution of aftershocks, and redistribution of stress Hazards posed by blind thrust faults Ground Motion Earthquake-related physical effects that compound a disaster - Liquefaction - Landslide - Epidemic - Tsunami Technological aids to seismological research - Seismic networks - GPS and radar applications - GIS in seismological investigations - Missile navigation technology applications to earthquakes Prediction / Forecasting - Ultra-low frequency radio wave spikes before an earthquake - Geochemical anomalies before a moderate earthquake - Animal behaviour - The VAN approach to short-term prediction - Earthlights as a possible precursor - Chinese short-term predictions - Intermediate-term and probabilistic prediction (computational seismology) - A critical view of prediction Historical and palaeo-seismicity - Geochronology - Reservoir-induced seismicity Part 2: Infrastructure as it Responds to Seismic Forces Overview The special case of dams Part 3: Social Vulnerability The Individual faced with earthquake hazard - Hazard
perception and behaviour - Gender in risk perception and
response - Reactions to pseudo-scientific predictions of
earthquakes The economy faced with earthquake risk and disaster - Estimation of economic impacts of earthquake damages - Business continuity after earthquakes - Role of insurance in reducing losses Earthquakes and social structure - Differential social vulnerability to earthquakes - Media impacts on earthquake response and recovery Part 4: disaster planning and Emergency Management Planning - Applications of GIS to specify probable hazards for planning - Lifeline damage simulation for planning and policy - Seismic building code specification and adoption - Planning for the needs of specially vulnerable groups - Planning with community organizations - Earthquake risk information communication Emergency Management - Medical and public health aspects - Emergency management coordination in planning and in response / recovery Part 5: Meaning and Earthquakes: Contributions from the Humanistic Approaches Ethics Earthquakes in art Cultural interpretation of earthquakes