Greetings Ben and all Radixers:

Some earlier thoughts now relevant to this crucial discussion are 
expressed in Lewis (2014), from which, with hesitation, I will offer the 
following comments:

Vulnerability in relation to natural hazards has been discussed since as 
long ago as 1976 (O'Keefe et al) by which it was made apparent that 
vulnerability is not contained by "characteristics of a person or group" 
unless characteristics are recognised to be, at least in part, the 
result of superimposition, in one way or another, by others. Causative 
processes of vulnerablity are not usually contained within such a group 
or within any other. There is a mass of literature which demonstrates 
vulnerability to be the result of dynamic processes, often over long 
periods of time, most of them beyond the influence of the vulnerable, or 
those who will be made to become so.

Another concern is that it would be helpful if "susceptibility" was not 
used to explain vulnerability. First, because it may serve to place the 
onus for being susceptible upon the person or group, as an internal 
issue of its own making. Secondly, because the vulnerable themselves 
often may be, or may become, susceptible to further mistreatments or 
derogations which intensify their vulnerability. Sadly, there are 
numerous examples of such behaviours.

O’Keefe, P.,Westgate, K. andWisner, B. (1976), “Taking the naturalness 
out of natural disasters”,
Nature, Vol. 260, pp. 566-567.

Lewis, James (2014) "The susceptibility of the vulnerable: Some 
realities reassessed". DPM, 23/1, Emerald.

Best wishes to all -

James

-- 
James Lewis Datum International www.datum-international.eu