River of emotions: Children and young people making sense of disasters - Paperback

by Carol Mutch (Author)

A child described his time during the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes as "sailing on a river of emotions." In Carol Mutch's latest book, she weaves her many years of research expertise with the experiences of children and young people making sense of disaster. Beginning with the Canterbury earthquakes and traversing disasters in the Asia-Pacific region before returning to the Covid years in New Zealand, River of Emotions provides fresh and unique insights into disasters through the eyes of the younger generation.

Two strands run through the book. The first is of interest to parents, schools and youth organisations or anyone who wants to engage with how children and young people experience, describe, and understand their world when the unimaginable happens.

The second strand will appeal to researchers and research students as it details the process of researching in disaster zones, from inception to implementation and dissemination. In particular, River of Emotions offers an insight into how to make sense of what children and young people say, do, write, and draw when they are expressing their emotions. By describing different research approaches, data gathering strategies, and sense-making frameworks, the book opens up a wide range of possibilities for others wishing to conduct research with children and young people in both ordinary and extra-ordinary times.