The state of Louisiana has a long history of colonialism evident in the regions rich multicultural heritage. Louisiana is an axis of colonial history with it roots in French, Spanish, Native American and African culture this makes it an ethnically diverse polyglot state. Geographically, much of the state was formed from sediment washed down the Mississippi River, leaving large deltas, vast swamplands and coastal marsh. Due to the location and sub tropical climate, the state of Louisiana is extremely vulnerable to tropical cyclones and Hurricanes. On August 29th, 2005 Hurricane Katrina reigned down on the United States Gulf Coast with the force equal to a nuclear blast. It was one of the 5 deadliest Hurricanes in the history of the United States – 1833 people died in the hurricane and subsequent floods.…show more content… I wish to examine the factors leading to the tragedy in New Orleans and its aftermath through a critical development lens. This is important to deduce to what extent can development theories be used to explain what might be done to improve disaster response. First, I will observe the Hurricane preparedness and initial response to environmental disasters in New Orleans. Then, I will observe the policy on evacuation and the aftermath in the context of housing developments, I will access the impact on the population of New Orleans. Last, I will observe the role of NGO’s and aid in rebuilding the city. Approaching the analysis of the racial politics of post-Katrina New Orleans from a postcolonial analytical perspective I will engage the notion that despite the United States being a ‘postcolonial’ state, the case of Louisiana and Mississippi illustrates an example of contemporary internal
