A society's legal system can encourage certain cultural practices while culture can be influenced by legal principles

Culture can be influenced by the law and vice versa. Mezey (2001) puts it succinctly: “Therefore, if one were to talk about the relationship between culture and law, it would certainly be right to say that it is always dynamic, interactive, and dialectical—law is both a producer of culture and an object of culture.” Law can encourage certain cultural practices such as the Good Samaritan provision under the German Criminal Law which obliges everyone to assist another in danger in situations that such assistance could be possible. Conversely, a legal prohibition might effectively eliminate a cultural practice such as female circumcision, or the criminalisation of centuries-old Hindu tradition of Chhaupadi, where women are banished from the home during menstruation, or alter how certain practices are carried out in a society such as the prohibition for anyone to conceal their face in public places.

Note: See source document for full reference.

Cultural Factors: Norms/values, Customs/traditions/rituals

Hazards: Natural hazards, Man-made non-intentional hazards or emergency situations

Disaster Phases: Response

Types of Actors Concerned: Non-active citizens, Government

Recommendations:

• Consider vulnerable groups when designing and implementing disaster response measures