The calamitous consequences of 2017 Hurricane Maria for the Caribbean island of Dominica highlighted the acute and increasing susceptibility of the region to disasters. Despite increasing international attention to disaster risk reduction, recovery from hazard events can be especially lengthy and difficult for small island developing states. In this article, we build on existing understandings of disaster risk as a physical and social condition, showing that historical processes are fundamental to understanding how conditions of risk emerge and persist over time. We take an integrated approach to analyzing the drivers of risk accumulation, using the example of Dominica, where processes set in motion during the colonial period have shaped the location of people and assets, the degree to which they might be harmed, the societal repercussions of that harm and the prospects for recovery. We focus on the underlying economic vulnerabilities and physical exposure to hazards created by agricultural, economic, and social practices, and successive disaster responses that have constrained recovery. Uncovering these historical drivers and persistent issues, elucidates lessons for pursuing a more resilient development trajectory, including through the promotion of economic restructuring and diversification, and land reform.

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Climate change is increasing the severity of extreme weather events, particularly hurricanes, presenting a significant challenge to Caribbean coastal communities. In the aftermath of a major disaster, government interventions typically prioritise infrastructure, assets, and the economy through rebuilding roads, reviving economic sectors, and providing financial compensation. This is driven by a focus on macro-level quantitative indicators rather than by local, multidimensional subjective and relational factors, closer to lived experiences and livelihoods. Using frameworks outlining social well-being and agency, this paper explores strategies used by a fisheries-dependent community in Dominica to recover from Hurricane Maria in 2017 and pursue well-being. The findings highlight the importance of multidimensional well-being, particularly relational and subjective dimensions, including existing social networks, and personal relationships critical for recovery after Maria. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates how recovery initiatives that concentrate solely on material well-being, such as employment, can undermine agency in the capacity of a community to recover and build resilience.

The calamitous consequences of Hurricane Maria (2017) for the Caribbean island of Dominica highlighted the acute and increasing susceptibility of the region to hazard events. Despite the increasing international attention given to disaster risk reduction, recovery from hazard events can be especially lengthy and difficult for Small Island Developing States. In this paper we build on existing understandings of disaster risk as a physical and social condition, and take a novel approach showing that historical processes are fundamental to understanding not only how conditions of risk emerge, but also how societal inertia causes them to persist over time. We take an integrated approach to analyzing the historical, physical, and social and political drivers of risk accumulation, and the consequent barriers to the reduction of risk. Using the example of Dominica, we demonstrate how processes set in motion during colonial times have shaped where people and assets are located, the degree to which they might be harmed, the societal repercussions of that harm and the prospects for recovery. We develop an understanding of the historical factors that have shaped Dominica's development trajectory, focusing on the underlying economic vulnerabilities and physical exposure to hazards created by agricultural, economic, and social practices, and successive government and international responses that have constrained post-disaster recovery. We argue that uncovering these historical drivers and persistent issues elucidates lessons for pursuing a more resilient development trajectory, including through the promotion of economic restructuring and diversification. SignificanceThis paper provides an integrated approach to analyzing the historical, physical, and social and political drivers of risk and the barriers to risk reduction in the Caribbean island of Dominica. We show how a historical focus on these drivers can reveal the reasons why risk has accumulated over time, and how recurrent hazards have played an important role in further generating vulnerability and exposure. This paper demonstrates how combinations of events and processes have heightened disaster risk for the island, explaining why Dominica now faces significant challenges in pursuing social, economic and sustainable development. This work can inform similar analyses of the historical factors that have shaped the development of other small island developing states with colonial histories.