Side effects of natural hazards and disaster risk research

In recent years, the interest in participatory and transdisciplinary research approaches has grown strongly increased. In natural hazards and disaster risk research, the involvement of non- academic actors at different stages of research is seen as a promising strategy. Particularly in countries of the Global South, the involvement of non-academic actors in research is seen as promising strategy: to solve data issues and raise awareness and knowledge among the participants themselves. However, there is little evidence on the (supposedly) positive side- effects of participation in scientific research processes on the participating non-academic actors themselves. In my research, I aim to shed light on how the involvement in scientific research on natural hazards and disaster risk creates impacts - intended and unintended - and for whom. Using the case of scientific research on glacial lake outburst floods in the Himalayas, the project will use quantitative and qualitative methods to systematically investigate the effects that participation in research processes generates among non-academic actors; how academic actors negotiate research relationships with non-academic actors in the field of natural hazards and disaster risk research; and what factors influence non-academic actors` willingness to participate in scientific research. To this end, the project will develop a theoretical framework on integrated research impacts in the field of natural hazards and disaster risk.