Disaster Risk Management and Resilience: What Remains Untouched?

Abstract

The contemporary generation of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) scholars is increasingly contributing to the ongoing debate on applying resilience in theory and practice. Nevertheless, the theoretical foundations of resilience in the DRM context have not yet been sufficiently validated on empirical grounds. This paper produces a review of literature on the DRM and Resilience concept and recognizes unanswered questions in the body of disaster management and resilience literature. There are several theoretical and empirical research gaps recognized and several future research implications are suggested, in particular, of how disaster resilience is achieved in a multi-stakeholder environment, and how to frame the bounce forward concept in disaster. In order to add value to the context, this paper also elaborates on the research gaps specific to Sri Lanka.