This call for chapter proposals invites contributions to the forthcoming edited volume Housing Vulnerability and Disaster Risk in the Global South, to be published by IGI Global. The book explores how housing systems are shaped by environmental risk, governance arrangements, planning frameworks, and social inequalities in diverse Global South contexts. It seeks interdisciplinary perspectives and regionally grounded case studies that connect disaster risk reduction with housing justice and development policy.

Housing Vulnerability and Disaster Risk in the Global South
Edited by Lefranc Joseph
State University of Haiti; Haitian Center for Research in Social Science

Introduction

Housing systems across the Global South are increasingly shaped by the convergence of rapid urbanization, environmental risks, and institutional fragmentation. In many cities and rural regions alike, populations face housing precarity exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure, insecure land tenure, and the growing frequency and intensity of disasters. These risks are not solely technical challenges but are deeply intertwined with historical, political, and spatial dynamics that produce vulnerability over time.

This volume examines housing vulnerability and disaster risk as interconnected phenomena. It seeks to illuminate how structural forces, policy failures, and governance gaps contribute to housing insecurity, while also exploring the knowledge, strategies, and agency of communities confronting these risks. By bridging disciplinary boundaries and geographic contexts, the book aims to offer a nuanced understanding of how housing vulnerability and disaster risk are co-produced in environments marked by fragility, inequality, and resistance.

Objectives of the Book

The book aims to advance interdisciplinary scholarship and practical insights into how housing vulnerability is generated, experienced, and mitigated across diverse regions of the Global South. It will:

• Connect technical disaster risk reduction approaches with political and social analyses of housing systems;
• Examine how institutional arrangements, planning practices, and legal frameworks shape risk exposure and resilience;
• Highlight the contribution of local knowledge and community-based practices to risk governance and housing recovery;
• Contribute to theoretical and empirical debates on disaster risk, housing justice, and development;
• Offer grounded, context-sensitive pathways for policy, planning, and community-led action.

The volume will be of particular value in foregrounding perspectives from underrepresented regions and in showcasing comparative approaches to housing vulnerability across different types of hazards and urban-rural contexts.

Target Audience

This volume is geared toward a multidisciplinary and international audience, including:

• Academic researchers in urban studies, disaster studies, geography, housing policy, and development;
• Policymakers and planners at local, national, and international levels;
• Practitioners in humanitarian aid, housing reconstruction, climate adaptation, and resilience planning;
• Civil society organizations and community-based actors engaged in advocacy, informal housing, or disaster recovery;
• Graduate students, educators, and training institutions in urban governance, DRR, and development studies.

Recommended Topics

Recommended Topics Include, but Are Not Limited To:

• Informal settlements and disaster risk: accumulation, displacement, and adaptation
• Land tenure and spatial marginalization in hazard-prone areas
• Climate-related hazards and housing vulnerability in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean
• Post-disaster reconstruction and long-term housing transitions
• Political economy of shelter in humanitarian and recovery contexts
• Indigenous and local knowledge in housing design and risk governance
• Health impacts of housing damage, displacement, and shelter conditions
• Community-based retrofitting and resilience practices
• Legal frameworks and housing rights in disaster contexts
• Financing mechanisms for disaster-resilient housing
• Technological and architectural innovation for risk mitigation
• Comparative studies of housing vulnerability across disaster types or regions
• Social protection systems and their role in housing resilience
• Governance challenges in risk-prone urban peripheries
• Migration, relocation, and housing policy responses to slow-onset disasters
• Gendered and racialized dimensions of housing vulnerability and response
• Cultural and symbolic dimensions of housing and recovery
• Policy integration across disaster risk, housing, and development sectors

Submission and Review Process

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit a chapter proposal of 1,000 to 2,000 words clearly explaining the mission and concerns of their proposed chapter, via the publisher’s platform: https://www.igi-global.com/publish/call-for-papers/submit/8950.

Proposal submission deadline: July 20, 2025

Notification of acceptance: August 3, 2025
Full chapters of a minimum of 10,000 words are due by November 2, 2025.

All authors must consult the chapter preparation guidelines available at:
https://www.igi-global.com/publish/contributor-resources/before-you-write/

All submissions will undergo a double-anonymized peer review process managed by IGI Global. Contributors may also be invited to serve as reviewers for this project. Accepted chapters will proceed through the editorial process and the volume is expected to be published globally by mid-2026.

The volume is coordinated by Lefranc Joseph (State University of Haiti; Haitian Center for Research in Social Sciences) with the support of an Editorial Advisory Board composed of international scholars and professionals.

Important Dates

July 20, 2025: Proposal Submission Deadline
August 3, 2025: Notification of Acceptance
November 2, 2025: Full Chapter Submission
January 4, 2026: Review Results Returned
February 15, 2026: Final Acceptance Notification
March 1, 2026: Final Chapter Submission

Inquiries

Lefranc Joseph
lefranc.joseph@charesso.org