A Response to the Review of "Catastrophe and Culture" by Richard W.

Franke
Author(s): Susanna M. Hoffman and Anthony Oliver-Smith
Source: American Anthropologist, Vol. 107, No. 2 (Jun., 2005), p. 320
Published by: Wiley on behalf of the American Anthropological Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3567804
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320 American Anthropologist * Vol. 107, No. 2 * March 2005

A Response to the Review of prehensive introduction to the collected chapters t

cisely details the focus of the book.
"Catastrophe and Culture"
The book, mirroring the field, contains fou
by Richard W. Franke interrelated sections: (1) the construction of disaster,
including social and cognitive choices, historical con-
SUSANNA M. HOFFMAN
sequences, and cultural traditions; (2) the events of the
ANTHONY OLIVER-SMITH
disaster that profoundly effect the survivors and the struc-
ture of an entire community; (3) recovery from an event,
Although we appreciate and admire the efforts of potentially
which all schol-modifies cultural symbols, religious rites,
ars who take on the task of reviewing new books memory, their
in kinship and class organization, gender relations,
field, it is difficult to give credence to a revieweconomics,
that does not and more, from local to national levels;
politics,
get the authors of various chapters correct, or the number
and (4) the response to devastating events. The introduction
of chapters a particular author wrote. lays out the four areas and the chapters of the volume are
We say this in response to the review of organized
Richard in aW.
processual manner to address them. Almost
Franke of our book, Catastrophe and Culture (Susanna M.
every chapter internally addresses each area and the chap-
Hoffman and Anthony Oliver-Smith, Santa ters Fe:all
School
cite and of
cross-reference the other chapters of the
American Research Press, 2002), in a recent book.
issue of the
American Anthropologist (106[4]:765-766). In his
Thereview,
effects of disasters on the nature of society and
Franke mentions "two" chapters by Virginia Garcia-Acosta.
culture have, unfortunately, been much neglected by the
Garcia-Acosta, in fact, wrote only one of the chapters in the
general body of anthropologists, an oversight that looms
volume, and Franke assesses that chapter wrongly. Garcia-
large in the face of the recent colossal tragedy impacting
Acosta's fine chapter uses 450 years of economic data, countries
numerous not and societies in Asia. Perhaps in light
earthquake and other disaster data, to reveal that disasters,
of this terrible tragedy, which will clearly have a long-term
not considered important enough by recorderseffect
of Mexican
and alter the society and culture of many, far more an-
social history to document, had occurred. This revelation
thropologists will pay heed to the catastrophic events that
demonstrated that disasters of a number of sorts,
shape, not just long shaped, the lives and fortunes of the
and have
earthquakes, had been chronic and patterned in we
people Mexican
work with.
history, and in each case, they had critically altered social
and cultural practices-one of the major points of the vol-
SUSANNA M. HOFFMAN Independent Researcher, 216 East
ume. Whatever chapter Franke refers to as Garcia-Acosta's
second contribution, we, the editors of the Galena
book,Ave., P.O. Box 119, Telluride, CO 81435
cannot
ANTHONY
identify. Also, although Franke states that the OLIVER-SMITH Department of Anthropology, Uni-
book lacks
versity of
clear focus, he neglects to mention the thorough and com-Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611

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