David Worster’s analytical framework explains why Hurricane Katrina was so deadly by intersubjective and instrumental nature and New Orlean’s unwillingness to change their culture through the “levees only” approach.
Before we make any assumptions and conclusions, we must first gain an understanding of what exactly was the ‘levees only’ approach and its history. New Orleans back in the 1800s was quite prone to flooding from the Mississippi River. Due to low elevation, much of the area is currently below sea level so one can imagine the damages that flooding can bring to businesses and homes. As a result by 1912, the city had fully adopted a “levees only” approach and promoted
