This conference is convened at a time at which we are seriously threatened by an increasing number of disasters of all kinds: those conventionally considered "natural," like hurricanes and tsunamis, and those normally considered man-made, like pandemics and large-scale bioterrorist attacks.

The need for serious reflection on how we can best think about, prepare for, respond to and prevent disasters is urgent. At this conference, leading experts will explore the commonalities of all disasters. They will examine the unequal protection and treatment of populations made vulnerable by their location and or socioeconomic status; the impact of disasters on the economy and overall human development; how hazards develop into disasters; and how design factors either mitigate or amplify their effects.

This conference is supported by Parsons The New School for Design, Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts, The School for Social Research and The New School Office of the Provost, and is also cosponsored by the ACLU.