Julia Irwin

Historian Julia Irwin discusses the long history of US foreign disaster aid, highlighting how it dates back to the James Madison administration. She explores case studies from Martinique (1902) and Jamaica (1907) to Italy (1908) and Japan (1923). The impact of the world wars on disaster aid and the role of former presidents in raising money for relief efforts are also discussed. The conversation delves into the concept of disaster risk reduction and the lessons contemporary efforts have learned from the past.