Flood: critical conversations in geography

In 2022, eastern Australia has been subject to extreme floods, including what are being dubbed rain bombs. Needed now is focused attention on the geographical effects of these events and on their implications for geographers. One would be hard pressed to argue against the proposition that, in fact, all aspects of geographical concern are at stake here. Consider the spatial, place-based, mobile, multiscalar, and intersectional implications of these events for health, geomorphology, biogeography, and economic, social, cultural, and political issues not least and not solely among them. In this webinar, a panel was invited to converse with our audience about flood events and the contributions that geographers have made and can continue to make in response to them. At the same time, responsiveness is necessary but insufficient, so we also explored what anticipatory work can be done in terms of theorization, methodological innovation, empirical labours, rapid analysis, and policy advice. The webinar will, we hope, be of wider interest to all those grappling with disaster, risk, and resilience and with all of the other geographical concerns that are part of that assemblage. Panellists include: Brian Cook (University of Melbourne), Emily O’Gorman (Macquarie University), and Jason Alexandra (Alexandra Consulting)