The role of social capital and public policy in disaster recovery: A case study of Tamil Nadu State, India

The objective of this research is to determine what important roles are played by social capital in the implementation of recovery policies for areas affected by disasters. We will compare two districts in India where tsunami recovery has either failed or been successful. In 2004, the Sumatra Tsunami in the Indian Ocean killed more than 14,000 people and left 50,000 people homeless. Regardless of the cultural background or ethnicity of victims, disaster recovery greatly depends on social capital. This research included a questionnaire survey administered to people in two tsunami-affected districts and compared the types of social capital that can be associated with disaster recovery. The result is that the style of each community prior to the disaster and the presence of a strong village leader are both crucial for the successful implementation of a recovery program. We believe that social capital significantly affects successful policy implementation, which will lead people to utilize government resources for disaster recovery.