Disaster Capitalism and Social Policy: Social Work in the Aftermath of Natural Disasters

Unpredictable timing, disruption of community and health services, severe economic impacts, and the deterioration of psychosocial well-being necessitate the evaluation of natural disasters from a social work perspective. Social workers play critical roles in these situations, such as connecting disadvantaged groups with necessary resources, protecting individuals’ well-being, assessing needs, and providing relief and support. The core roles and functions of the social work profession, which emphasize a people-centered, rights-based approach, become particularly significant after a disaster. Neoliberal policies and disaster capitalism exploit the fear and anxiety generated by natural disasters to gain public consent for practices that may not be in their best interests. In this context, fear appeals can be manipulated as a persuasive tool to make disaster-affected citizens accept policies and practices they would typically reject. This study outlines the issues that social workers should address at micro, meso, and macro levels to counteract the influence of neoliberal policies and disaster capitalism, which leverage the fear and anxiety induced by natural disasters to secure public consent for unfavorable practices. © 2024 The Center for Political Ecology.