Polycentric Aid Accessibility Differences for Low SES Recovering from Man-Made Disasters

This study focuses on identifying individual understandings of what sources of aid were available or not available during and after different kinds of disasters and why. Using data gathered as part of an ongoing National Institute of Health (NIH) project investigating community resilience in response to disasters, the essay explores the acuity of polycentric aid relief on disaster victims in three southern regions. Determining the individuals who struggle to recover from disaster due to variant aid access can lead to better policy making. The polycentric theoretical perspective is potentially useful in understanding an individual's recognition of their own needs and experiences in obtaining adequate aid following a disaster.