El cambio de paradigma: de la atención de desastres a la gestión del riesgo

Since the 1990s there has been a significant change in the perception of and approach to the problem of disasters. The article briefly considers the development of different models and concepts of disasters, and then focuses on the new perspective of the risks that make disasters more likely, and that are socially constructed. It highlights the important role of the Network of Social Studies on Disaster Prevention in Latin America (LA RED) in this paradigm shift, and analyses its contributions, especially regarding the concept of risk management. Some of the basic assumptions of the RED are elaborated in more detail later, such as the persistence of a fatalistic attitude towards disasters, the close link between disaster risk and development, and the importance of taking into account the local dimension when addressing the problem. We conclude the article with a consideration of current conceptual advances y developments in how disaster risk management is being carried out.