This thesis examines the components of the socio-cultural context of an Indonesian island community that reportedly led to a remarkably low level of casualties during the Indian Ocean Boxing Day tsunami in 2004. Various elements of the social context of the Simeulue Island community are being assessed for their contribution to disaster response behaviour, potentially including community participation, collective efficacy, empowerment and trust as well as the maintenance of traditional disaster response knowledge. The key factors that contributed to the disaster response behaviour will then be considered in Australian cultural settings with a view to improving risk communication and community resilience.

The primary question for this study is: what are the cultural drivers of disaster response behaviour on Simeulue Island and do these have cross-cultural applicability? Also considered is: what is it about the cultural context of south-eastern Australia that diminishes personal responsibility for maintaining personal and family safety in the face of bushfires and natural hazards? At the same time, what is it about the culture of Simeulue that enables individuals to act appropriately in the face of natural hazards?