Assignments

Social Work 501, Fall 2005
Poverty and Inequality

Assignments

Purpose & Objectives

Purpose:

To investigate the conditions and events that led to the extensive loss of life and property in New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina and critically analyze the major public policy implications of the findings and conclusions.

Objectives:

1. To find information on Hurricane Katrina using primary and secondary sources

2. To organize and draft a Katrina Commission report

Background

Overview	Resources
Kerner Commission (US National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders)	Primary Source: U.S. National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. (1968). Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. Washington DC: US GPO. (Social Work HV85 A5) Electronic Report: United States National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. (1968). Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. Ritchie, B. (1969). The Riot Report: A shortened version of the Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. New York: Viking Press. (Odegaard HV85 A5) Harris, F.R., & Curtis, L.A., eds. (1998). Locked in the poorhouse. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. (Suzzallo HV6477 L63) Harris, F.R., & Wilkins, R., eds. (1988). Quiet riots: Race and poverty in the US. New York: Pantheon Books. (Suzzallo HV4045 Q54) The Kerner report revisited. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois. (Suzzallo HV6477 A88 1970) PBS Home Video: A Nation Divided
Makeup of a Commission	The creation and operation of Presidential Commissions (aka Federal Advisory Committees or Executive Advisory Bodies) is establish by US law [Public Law 92-463] Flitner, D. (1986). The Politics of Presidential Commissions. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Transnational Publishers. [Diagram of a Commission] Smith, S. (1987). Presidential commissions: Their purpose and impact. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service. (Microfilm A6816 Reel 3) Wolanin, T. (1975). Presidential advisory commissions: From Truman to Nixon. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin. (JK468.C7 W64)
Hurricane Katrina	Hurricane Katrina chronology Key persons: Governor Kathleen Blanco \| Michael Brown \| Michael Chertoff \| Mayor Ray Nagin Facts & Statistics: US Census Bureau: Fast Facts on Hurricane Katrina \| Lexis-Nexis Statistical Universe \| State Health Facts (Kaiser Family Foundation) Reports: Urban Institute's After Katrina Research Series Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard University. (September 2005) Survey of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees The White House Report. (February 2006). Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned
Other	Hurricane Betsy \| Hurricane Camille \| Hurricane Pam: Exercise July 2004 UW Libraries Catalog: Southern States--Economic conditions--1945- \| Southern States--Race Relations \| Social Classes--Southern States \| Southern States--Emigration & Immigration Databases: America: History & Life (Historical Abstracts) \| Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS)

Commission Roles

By Population	Search databases	Resources
Elderly	AgeLine search under natural disasters, nursing homes Social Services Abstracts Social Work Abstracts	Administration on Aging AARP American Association of Homes & Services for the Aged Capital Area Agency on Aging Louisiana Katrina Senior Relief Fund
Disabled (physical or mental)	Also use databases listed above	US Dept. of Health & Human Services - Assistance for Katrina Survivors with Disabilities
African Americans	Ethnic News Watch Also use databases listed above	Black Press USA: Directory of local black press IM Diversity National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) National Urban League
Refugees or Immigrants	Ethnic News Watch Also use databases listed above	Hispanic Online League of United Latin American Citizens National Council of La Raza

By Topic	Key Issues	Resources
Business Economics	Oil industry \| Tourism	Louisiana Economic Development Southern Economic Development Council
Education		ERIC \| US Dept. of Education
Environment	Hurricanes \| Coastal protection (Barrier Islands) \| Levees	Engineering Village 2 \| Geobase
Healthcare	Hospitals \| Medical care \| Mental health	PubMed (Medline) \| Pilots (National Center for PTSD) \| CDC Disaster Mental Health Resources \|
Housing	Public housing \| Shelters	Avery Index
Politics	Federal \| Regional \| State \| Local	House Committee on Government Reform Minority Office House Committee on Homeland Security Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS)
Urban planning	Infrastructure \| Neighborhoods \|	American Institute of Architects American Planning Association American Society of Civil Engineers Louisiana Recovery Authority South Alabama Regional Planning Commission
Transportation	Public transport

Sources of Information

Media	Resources
Newspapers	Lexis Nexis, Reuters News Wire, Electronic Newspapers
Magazines	Proquest Research Library (Times, Newsweek, US News & World Report)
TV	Television News Archive network news broadcasts, CNN news video PBS blinx tv: search engine for tv broadcasts
Radio	WWL NPR Radio locator
Web	Hurricane Katrina
Weblogs	NOLA WatchBlog LATALK
Images	Geodata.gov

Agencies	Resources
Government	Federal: FEMA Disaster Help US Dept. of Health & Human Services US Dept. of Homeland Security Hurricane Recovery State: Louisiana: Louisiana Office of Mental Health Mississippi: Dept. of Mental Health \| Gulf Coast Mental Health Center Alabama Texas Local: New Orleans
Relief organizations	Catholic Charities Lutheran Social Services Red Cross Salvation Army Second Harvest United Way
Other organizations	People's Institute for Survival and Beyond Bring New Orleans Back Commission LSU Hurricane Information Center UW School of Social Work Initiatives in Response to Hurricane Katrina UW Libraries - Hot Topics - Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina Information Guide (Middletown Thrall Library)

Send mail to: leea@u.washington.edu
Last modified: 6/28/2006 8:55 AM