Culture and landslide risk in the Central Andes of Bolivia and Peru

Abstract

Culture and its heritage play a major role in determining landslide risk in the Central Andes.Examples of some of these many possible influences are provided from natural and social science literature andfrom the author's recent work in Bolivia. Landslide risk appears to have generally increased throughout the lastmillennium, due largely to anthropogenic modification of hazard, exposure, vulnerability and coping capacity.These changes result from both local and distant pressures and from contemporaneous and pervious culturalfactors. Consequently, holistic examination of landslide risk necessitates consideration of culture and its heritage.