On 25 November 2020, Rodrigo Mena successfully defended his thesis on 'Disasters in Conflict: Understanding disaster governance, response, and risk reduction during high-intensity conflict in South Sudan, Afghanistan and Yemen'.
The thesis investigated the knowledge and practice of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and disaster response during periods of high-intensity conflict. He argued that disasters like droughts, floods or earthquakes are a social and political phenomenon based on the interaction between extreme natural events and people’s vulnerability to harm and loss during these events. Conflict contributes to that vulnerability, thus explaining disasters and conflict co-occurrence.
The Doctoral Committee congratulated Rodrigo Mena for his original and in-depth research and for his particular attention to the ethical aspects of conducting research. The committee also commented on the thoroughness of his research conducted in often difficult and challenging conditions.
The full thesis will be available from the ISS Library.
Photos and video of the defence
