5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

Cities are subject to constant shocks and tensions, including disasters. Climate change effects are accelerating the need to strengthen the resilience of residents, communities, and the built environment. This session brings together three research committees whose topical foci overlap around the issues of climate change, disaster impacts, risk reduction, and mitigation in urban settlements. As climate change intensifies, modifications to the built environment and housing, in the form of green spaces, living roofs, and agriculture can play a vital role for heat index reduction, air quality, and food access. Collaborations can facilitate the identification of government policies that hamper climate change adaptation strategies, sources of social resistance to changing functionalities in the urban landscape and identify successful collaborations.

The session will explore the following questions:

• How are residents, communities and organizations responding to disasters in urban settings?
• What are the social tensions and primary effects arising from urban disasters and how can they be mitigated?
• Are there new social movements and solidarities coming up from disaster response and adaptation to new urban threats?
• What are some of the challenges and opportunities around disaster risk reduction and hazard mitigation in cities? Are the most vulnerable populations being included in urban designs and government policy?