Governance and social vulnerability in disaster risk management: a systematic review of Latin American literature (2005–2025)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/Keywords:
disaster risk governance, social vulnerability, Latin AmericaAbstract
This study analyzes the relationship between disaster risk governance and social vulnerability in Latin America through a systematic literature review covering the period 2005–2025. Following the PRISMA protocol, 18 peer-reviewed articles indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO were selected and analyzed in order to identify theoretical approaches, analytical patterns, and research gaps regarding the social construction of disaster risk. The findings show that disaster risk governance has evolved from predominantly institutional and reactive approaches toward more complex frameworks that integrate social vulnerability, state capacity, and community participation as interdependent dimensions. Evidence consistently indicates that vulnerability is not a static condition but a socially produced process shaped by structural inequalities, urban segregation, and institutional weaknesses. The review also reveals a persistent gap between international policy frameworks and their effective implementation at national and local levels, limiting risk reduction outcomes. In addition, community participation is found to enhance resilience, although its effectiveness depends on institutionalization levels and power asymmetries within governance arrangements. The study concludes that disaster risk governance in Latin America is characterized by an incomplete transition in which technocratic and socio-political approaches coexist, highlighting the need for more integrated frameworks that better articulate state, society, and territory in the production and reduction of risk.
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