This book challenges the Western-centric dominance in disaster scholarship and its imposition of universal policies globally. The author, JC Gaillard, employs a postcolonial approach to critique how disaster studies, while claiming disasters are social constructs, often presents theories and methods as universally applicable, neglecting diverse cultural experiences. The work questions Enlightenment-inherited governmental forms used as standard disaster risk reduction solutions. Ultimately, it advocates for a pluralism of worldviews and ways of knowing to better inform disaster study, policy, and practice, ensuring a more accurate reflection of local realities worldwide.

The book is positioned as an essential read for scholars and postgraduate students in disaster studies, as well as policy-makers and practitioners in disaster risk reduction. Its theoretical contribution aims to broaden the understanding of disasters by questioning established Western paradigms and advocating for a more inclusive, pluralistic approach. The work encourages a critical examination of how disaster risk reduction policies are formulated and implemented across different cultural contexts, emphasizing the need to incorporate local knowledge and diverse perspectives.