Natural Hazard Risk Communication: Examining the Flow of Knowledge from Theory to Practice

Abstract

This thesis examines the mobilization of knowledge from theory to practice in natural hazard risk communication. The main question this thesis asks is “to what extent are insights from literature on risk communication reflected in practice?” The thesis examines how communication practices from risk psychology are presented both in ‘Best Practice Guides’ for risk communication as well as in real-world communications in the Canadian context. This thesis reveals strengths in the translation of knowledge from theory to practice as well as barriers and tensions that communicators may encounter when implementing recommendations from risk psychology in practice. These findings have relevant implications for natural hazard risk communication and knowledge mobilization more broadly.