Challenges and Opportunities for Integrating Intersectionality Into Social Vulnerability Assessment for Flood Risk Analysis

Thaler, T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3869-3722 & Gugerell, K. (2026). Challenges and Opportunities for Integrating Intersectionality Into Social Vulnerability Assessment for Flood Risk Analysis. WIREs Water 13 (2) e70068. 10.1002/wat2.70068.

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Abstract

Adaptation to flood events has emerged as a vital concern for our societies. However, both individual and collective adaptation heavily depend on levels of vulnerability across various strata at both the individual and collective levels. The impacts of flood events, along with individual preparedness and coping strategies, are distributed unequally across societies globally. This primer tackles the challenge of integrating an intersectional perspective into social vulnerability assessment in flood risk analysis and management. Social vulnerability is a central question within the decision‐making process of flood risk management, which helps public administration select appropriate risk reduction measures for national, regional, and local areas. Despite a wealth of literature examining individual vulnerability, adaptive capacity to floods, and the associated inequalities, current research often adopts a one‐dimensional view of individuals, overlooking the complexities of intersecting forms of structural discrimination. We explore the implications of adopting this intersectional approach to social vulnerability in flood risk management, how such a perspective can be achieved, and how it might help mitigate social inequalities.

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Planning Water
Human Water > Water Governance
Human Water > Rights to Water

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