Vulnerability Across Space: A Focus on the Underlying Mechanisms

Abstract

This paper addresses the spatial dimension of vulnerability, emphasising its dynamic and multifaceted nature. While vulnerability is widely recognised as a key component of risk, it is often treated as a static attribute rather than a process shaped by temporal and spatial variability. Drawing on case studies, the authors analyse how damage distribution following hazardous events can reveal mechanisms that displace vulnerabilities across space. By exploring the relationship between vulnerability and damage, the study highlights gaps in current approaches and calls for deeper conceptualisation of spatial mechanisms influencing vulnerability shifts. The findings contribute to a more process-oriented understanding of vulnerability, supporting improved risk assessment and management.