人类学的灾害研究如何呈现——兼评《泥石流灾害的人类学研究》

以民族志的方式，对地方层面的灾害场景和灾害感知进行完整呈现和系统转述，是人类学灾害研究的关键。《泥石流灾害的人类学研究》一书基于特定灾害场景的系统考察，来呈现人类社会与环境系统的复杂互动过程，并就不同人类群体如何借助社会文化资源来认识和应对灾害的经验图景加以辨析，这代表了灾害人类学研究发展的一种新趋势。

How to Present Anthropological Disaster Research --Review on Anthropological Research on Landslide Disasters

Abstract： After the May 12, 2008 earth- quake in Wenchuan, China＇ s anthropological disaster research received the opportunity for long -term development. However, its achievements have been relatively few, and most of the achieve- ments are only presented in the form of essays. This reflects that anthropological disaster research in China is still not mature. In particular, there is lack of ethnographic research on the occurrence and causes of disasters, and coping mechanisms. The publication of Anthropological Research on Landslide Disasters Taking the ＂ August 14 Landslide ＂ in Xinping Yi and Dai Autonomous County in Yunnan as a Case Study by Prof. Li Yongxiang has helped to address China＇ s defi- ciency in anthropological disaster research. This book is an ethnography about disasters based on a sturdy foundation of fieldwork; it presents a com- prehensive look at the landslide disaster scene of Xinping in the Ailao mountainous area of Yunnan, and provides very insightful discussions on mecha- nisms for preventing and coping with the disaster as well as post -disaster social changes. While studying for his Ph. D. degree at the University of Washington, Li Yongxiang, an Yi scholar who grew up in Ailao mountainous area of Yunnan, had already started his interest in disaster research in minority nationality areas of southwest China. After he received his doctoral degree at the University of Washington in 2005, he focused his research mainly on anthropological disaster re- search. As one of the pioneer researchers on an- thropological disaster research in China, Li Yongx- iang has had to answer questions regarding the the- oretical significance and realistic value of anthropo-logical disaster research. These questions are not only related to the anthropological view on natural disasters, but also related to the academic position of anthropology in disaster research. Anthropologi- cal Research on Landslide Disasters is a book based on the experiences from fieldwork together with theories from academic thinking. Using the format of ＂ ethnography＂, the book gives very practical answers to these questions. It reflects on the au- thor＇ s efforts involving these discussions and knowledge with practical experience in the re- search, and has highly theoretical ambitions as well as pays deep realistic attention to the defini- tion of disaster and the research orientation of an- thropology in disaster research. Li＇ s anthropolog- ical disaster research pays attention to the holistic interaction of the ecological surroundings, social structure, cultural conception and historical process. It investigates systematically the associa- tive processes regarding the causes and prevention measures of actual disasters; rescue and coping measures in disasters, and post - disaster recon- struction and restoration. At the same time, the book is also a theoretical practice of ecology, poli- tics, economics, and cultural perspective of an- thropology from the angle of research. It could be said that what the ethnography of Anthropological Research on Landslide Disasters tries to present is the three basic features and academic requirements in anthropological study on disasters. These are： a holistic view; a discussion of process, and a com- prehensive analysis. Anthropological Research on Landslide Disasters by Li Yongxiang, no matter if viewed from the methodology or from the theoretical aspect, reflects a mature trend of anthropology in disaster research. As the first chapter of the book emphasizes , the formation marker of the theory related to anthropological disaster research lies in integrating disasters with society, culture, politics, power, and economics, and, as a result, making disasters as a part of social culture. Hence, anthropological disaster research aims to investigate comprehensively peoples＇ life experiences, and to reflect on human being＇ s living environment, so- cial structure, values, concepts, and historical practice through an analysis of disaster . By doing so, it also examines possible social cultural dilemmas during the transformation process of the modernity, and gives a broad and in -depth discus- sion on how a local society handles the impact of modernization, and how a local society maintains a sustainable life etc. For realizing this kind of ＂disaster research by facing the living world ＂ in anthropology, the way of conducting research by fieldwork ethnography is doubtlessly the best way. Currently in China, an- thropological disaster research lacks long - term fieldwork and good ethnography. As Li Yongxiang said, anthropological disaster research in China still lags behind sociological, economic, and historical research. However, compared with disaster research carried out by other disciplines in the social sciences, the possibility of doing long - tern fieldwork in the disaster area is the most obvious advantage of anthropology. Therefore, conducting longterm and in- depth fieldwork and creating better ethnographic studies should be regarded as a necessary path for anthropological disaster research in China to make academic progress. Fieldwork can help the anthropologists to be embedded deeply in the social circumstances of the victims of the disaster. With in- depth participation and a special sense of presence, the knowledge produced in anthropology is endowed with a kind of feature in which social practice and cultural understanding are a mixture of both epic and etic. Anthropological Research on Landslide Disasters opens its ethnographic section with three parts,including ＂presentation of cases from practical experience; comprehensive discussions on the disas- ter scene and analysis of the questions ; and explorations on related theories and their application ＂. As an introduction to the fieldwork background, the second chapter of the book systemati- cally presents the environmental changes in the Ailao mountains, and the causes of the ＂August 14th Landslide Disaster ＂ in Xinping County. The unique natural ecology of the Ailao mountains makes the natural environment even more fragile and susceptible to the landslide disasters. The so- cial changes produced by developing hillside fields by planting cash crops; the construction of hydro- power stations ; exploitation of stone quarries ; the reform of forestry property rights system, etc. , all have resulted in a dramatic change of the local nat- ural ecological environment, which in turn became one of the main causes for the fragility of the land- slide disaster. The occurrence of the ＂August 14th Landslide Disaster ＂ exposed the features and problems that make disaster in this area cyclical. From Chapter three to Chapter six, the book presents a comprehensive investigation of the ＂August 14＇h Landslide Disaster ＂ and its impacts. It does so by providing four case studies of five villages in Xinping County. These five villages include Han, Dai and Yi villages. Although they were facing the same landslide disaster, it is interesting to note that each ethnic group responded to the disaster differently based upon their different socio - cultural backgrounds. Based on the situation reflected in the data contained in the ethnography, Chapters seven and eight give a further analysis and discussion on the core issues related to the disaster research and put forward the author＇ s own views. These include longterm risk mitigation mechanisms and institu- tions ; cultural interpretation of the disaster and the usage of local knowledge, as well as post- disaster social changes. The book emphasizes that the long -term risk mitigation mechanisms for landslides are closely related to the environmental safety in construction, as well as to cultural interpretations of disaster. The book also notes that local knowl- edge should be included in local disaster prevention practices. Finally, while analyzing various problems related to the post - disaster reconstruction, Li Yongxiang mentions that the t