Community resilience: Measuring social and political vulnerability in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

The scope of policy issues surrounding emergency management remains inundated with several social and political challenges. There are specific events that cause added strain which make certain time periods for examining levels of resiliency relevant. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill represents a large-scale, technological disaster. Not only was there a loss of human life, but several community impacts also exist with the oil having spewed out into the water. Still, what impacts—that is, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors—are associated with varying population groups that may be more vulnerable than others? Examining the connection between social capital and political trust is, thus, paramount as prior studies have documented that if resiliency networks are disrupted, there will be a lasting impact upon the community. This research extends the limited understanding of case-based perceptions of social and political vulnerability regarding disaster responsibility.