Coping with blackouts: A practice theory approach to household preparedness |
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Authors: | Nina Heidenstrøm Linda Kvarnlöf |
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Affiliation: | 1. Consumption Research Norway, Oslo and Akershus University College, Oslo, Norway;2. Institute for Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway;3. Department of Social Sciences, Risk and Crisis Research Centre, Mid‐Sweden University, ?stersund, Sweden |
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Abstract: | The article focuses on how rural households cope with blackouts caused by winter storms. We approach household preparedness using a practice theory perspective, and argue that preparedness is mundanely preformed as part of everyday practices. The data material consists of at home visits to 14 households from Norway and Sweden. The results demonstrate that households cope with blackouts by activating and mobilising competences, meanings and materials belonging to different practices, and that this is an ongoing process to ensure the continuation of everyday life during disruption. The article concludes by arguing for the need to bring forward studies on informal preparedness activities, in a research field where household preparedness tends to be framed using a top‐down perspective on crisis management. |
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Keywords: | blackouts crisis management everyday life household preparedness practice theory |
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