Urban Transformations, Emergencies, and Disasters in Los Angeles: Constructing Civilian Unpreparedness as a Public Policy Issue (1940–1980)

Abstract

This article explores the sociohistorical construction of civilian unpreparedness as a public policy issue in Los Angeles, arguing that it emerged not as a neutral response to escalating urban risks, but as a mechanism through which actors negotiated power dynamics amid urban transformations between 1940 and 1980. While scholarly interest in civilian preparedness has grown, existing literature frames it as a technical solution, a functional development, or a byproduct of policy directives. To address that gap, this study argues that preparedness was a historically and politically contingent construct enabling emergency, policy, and media professionals to legitimize institutional change and authority. Drawing on qualitative methodologies, it traces how narratives of overwhelmed institutional capacities were mobilized to justify integrating civilians into emergency management. It identifies two key dynamics underpinning this shift: first, pressure on public services from rapid urban growth across Californian cities; and second, the use of major emergencies as catalysts for reframing public responsibility. The findings demonstrate that preparedness functioned both as a site of power and a mechanism for consolidating institutional authority, particularly when civil defense expanded beyond nuclear threat management. The article calls for a reassessment of preparedness policy trajectories and functions through the lens of political sociology.