Entrepreneurship and Social Networks in Post-Disaster Environments

Hurricane Katrina disrupted and even destroyed social networks. Many New Orleanians were displaced after the storm; tens of thousands spent months and even years in nearby cities like Baton Rouge, Houston and Atlanta before they could return to New Orleans to rebuild their homes. During their time away they were often separated form their families, neighbors, friends and former co-workers as well as members of their church community and social clubs. As such he networks that they relied on as they went about their everyday lives pre-Katrina were not as readily available to them during the difficult post-Katrina period. This chapter is an attempt to tease out how social networks are reconstituted after a major disaster like Katrina. 

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