ABSTRACT

To date, the agency of people with disabilities has seldom been elaborated theoretically and empirically in disaster research. Drawing on the capability approach, this paper examines the agency of people with disabilities to deal with disasters. Their agency is explored in relation to their participation in decision-making processes which has long regarded as a means to disaster risk reduction. A case study design with the use of focus group discussions and interviews was adopted in this study. A rural commune in Vietnam was selected as a case study context. The study found that, in most cases, people with disabilities need to participate in decision-making processes in order to achieve their valuable capabilities for their safety in times of disaster. This process of participation can be seen as both an end and a means. As an end, it refers to involvement in decision-making processes. As a means, it is viewed as a process in which people with disabilities individually or collectively exert their agency (i.e. raising their voice, influencing the decision-making and transforming the decisions into actions). For participation as a means to be achieved, however, participation as an end must be secured.

摘要

迄今为止，在灾害研究中很少从理论上和经验上阐述残疾人的能动性。本文借鉴能力方法，考察了残疾人应对灾害的能动性。他们在参与决策过程的过程中探索了他们的机构，决策过程长期以来被视为减少灾害风险的一种手段。本研究采用了使用焦点小组讨论和访谈的案例研究设计。选择越南的一个农村公社作为案例研究背景。研究发现，在大多数情况下，残疾人需要参与决策过程，以便在灾难发生时发挥其宝贵的安全能力。这种参与过程既可以看作是目的，也是一种手段。作为结束，它是指参与决策过程。作为一种手段，它被视为残疾人单独或集体发挥其能动性（即提高他们的声音、影响决策和将决策转化为行动）的过程。但是，要使参与成为一种手段，就必须确保将参与作为目的。