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Research on Technological Disasters and Community Change
 
Since 1988, faculty in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work have conducted studies on a variety of coastal communities impacted by technological disasters and commercial fishing regulations. This research effort has been led by Dr. J. Steven Picou, Professor of Sociology and Chair of the Department, who has received funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council. Dr. Picou's research on the social and psychological impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska has resulted in a series of longitudinal studies  
on the long-term consequences of the largest oil spill in North American history for commercial fishers, Alaska Natives and residents of small communities in the spill area. This research effort is on-going and a list of publications form these projects is provided below. Dr. Picou's research has been submitted as evidence in litigation and articles about his studies have appeared in a variety of publications, most notably in Science and Earthwatch magazines. Several other faculty members in the Department have also contributed to the completion of these studies. Dr. G. David Johnson participated in the Mental Health Demonstration Project which collected data in the Alaskan communities of Cordova, Valdez, and Petersburg, while Dr. Mark Moberg participated in the Bayou La Batre, Alabama, community impact project. Additional professional staff who contributed to the community studies conducted in Alaska include clinical psychologist, Dr. Catalina Arata, University of South Alabama, economist, Dr. Maurie J. Cohen, State University of New York at Binghamton and sociologist, Dr. Duane A. Gill, Mississippi State University.
 
Dr. Picou's publications and grants are listed below.
  • 1991 "The Social Psychological Impacts of a Technological Disaster: Collective Stress and Perceived Health Risks." Journal of Hazardous Materials Vol. 27: 77-89 (with D. Gill).
  • 1992 "Social Disruption and the Valdez Oil Spill: Alaskan Natives in a Natural Resource Community." Sociological Spectrum Vol. 12, No.2: 105-126. (with C. Dyer and D. Gill).
  • 1992 "Stress and Disruption in an Alaskan Fishing Community: Initial and Continuing Impacts of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill." Industrial Crisis Quarterly Vol. 6, No. 3: 235-257 (with D. Gill, C. Dyer, and E. Curry).
  • 1993 "Technological Accident, Community Class-Action Litigation and Scientific Damage Assessment: A Case Study of Court-Ordered Research." Sociological Spectrum Vol. 13: 117-138 (with D. Rosebrook).
  • 1996 "Sociology and Compelled Disclosure: Protecting Respondent Confidentiality." Sociological Spectrum Vol. 16, No.3: 207-238.
  • 1996 "Compelled Disclosure of Scholarly Research: Some Comments on "High Stakes Litigation." Law and Contemporary Problems Vol. 59, No.3: 149-157.
  • 1998 "Technological Disaster and Chronic Community Stress." Society and Natural Resources 11(8):795-815 (with D. A. Gill).
  • 2000 "Coping with Technological Disaster: An Application of the Conservation of Resources Model to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill." Journal of Traumatic Stress 13(1):28-39 (with K. Arata, G. Johnson, T. McNally).
  • 2000 "The Talking Circle as Sociological Practice: Cultural Transformation of Chronic Disaster Impacts." Sociological Practice 2(2): 77-97.
  • 2002 "Contemporary Concepts of Environmental Risk: Implications for Resource Management Policy." Sociological Practice: A Journal of Clinical and Applied Sociology 4(4): 293-313 (with B.K. Marshall).
  • 2003 "Terrorism as Disaster: Selected Commonalities and Long-Term Recovery for 9/11 Survivors." Research in Social Problems and Public Policy 11: 73-96 (with B.K. Marshall and D.A. Gill).
  • 2004 "Disaster, Litigation and the Corrosive Community." Social Forces 82(4): 1497-1526 (with B.K. Marshall and D.A. Gill).
  • 2004 "Technological Disasters, Litigation Stress and the Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms." Law and Policy 26(2): 289-307 (with Brent K. Marshall and Jan R. Schlichtmann).

BOOK

1997 The Exxon Valdez Disaster: Readings on a Modern Social Problem .

Dubuque, IA: Kendall- Hunt Publishers (with D.A. Gill and M. J. Cohen).

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS

  • 1996 "The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill and Chronic Psychological Stress." Pp. 879-893 in F. Rice, R. Spies, D. Wolfe and B. Wright (eds). Proceedings of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Symposium , Volume 18. Bethesda, MD: American Fisheries Society (with Duane A. Gill).
  • 1997 "The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill as a Technological Disaster: Conceptualizing a Social Problem." Pp. 3-21 in J.S. Picou, D.A. Gill and M.J. Cohen (eds). The Exxon Valdez Disaster: Readings on a Modern Social Problem . Dubuque, IA:
    • Kendall-Hunt Publishers (with D.A. Gill and M.J. Cohen).
  • 1997 "The Day the Water Died: Cultural Impacts of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill on Alaska Natives." Pp. 167-191 in J.S. Picou, D.A. Gill and M.J. Cohen (eds). The Exxon Valdez Disaster: Readings on a Modern Social Problem . Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt Publishers (with D.A. Gill).
  • 1997 "Commercial Fishers and Stress: Psychological Impacts of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill." Pp. 211-235 in J.S. Picou, D.A. Gill and M.J. Cohen (eds). The Exxon Valdez Disaster: Readings on a Modern Social Problem . Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt Publishers (with D.A. Gill). Reprinted from Rice, et.al, 1996.
  • 1997 "Technological Disasters and Social Policy: Lessons from the Exxon Valdez ." Pp. 309-315 in J.S. Picou, D.A. Gill and M.J. Cohen (eds). The Exxon Valdez Disaster: Readings on a Modern Social Problem . Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt Publishers (with D.A. Gill and M.J. Cohen).
  • 2000 "The Exxon Valdez Disaster As Localized Environmental Catastrophe: (Dis)similarities to Risk Society Theory." In M. J. Cohen (ed.) Risk in the Modern Age . London: Macmillan Press (with D.A. Gill).
  • 2001 "The Day the Water Died: The Exxon Valdez Disaster and Indigenous Culture." Pp. 277-301 in Steven Biel (ed.) Modern American Disasters . New York: New York University Press (with D.A. Gill).

RESEARCH GRANTS AND CONTRACTS

  • 1988-1989 "Community Impacts of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill." Funded by Natural Hazards Resource and Information Center . Boulder, Colorado. $2,800.00. Principal Investigator.
  • 1990-1991 "Bayou La Batre Community Survey" (C. Dyer, and M. Moberg). Funded by the Bayou La Batre Chamber of Commerce . $23,980. Principal Investigator.
  • 1991-1993 "Long-Term Social Impacts of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill". Funded by the National Science Foundation . $189,843. Principal Investigator.
  • 1991-1992 "Community Impacts of the Valdez Oil Spill" (C. Dyer). Funded by the Center for Field Studies, Earthwatch . $24,400. Co-Principal Investigator.
  • 1995-1997 "Community Impacts of Oil Spills: Development and Evaluation of a Mental Health Mitigation Program." Funded by the Regional Citizens' Advisory Council , $175,506. Principal Investigator.
  • 2000-2002 "Technological Disaster, Resource Loss and Long-Term Social Change in a Sub-arctic Community" Funded by the National Science Foundation , $139,756. Principal Investigator.
 
 
 
University of South Alabama - Mobile Alabama 36688-0002 / (251) 460-6347
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Last updated: Tuesday, February 07, 2006
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