Fifth-Grade Students’ Perceptions of a Potential Istanbul Earthquake: A Qualitative Case Study from Bağcılar District

Authors : Çağlar Köse, Mustafa Akçay, Mesut Yazicioğlu

Pages : 192-222

Doi:10.53047/josse.1797249

View : 308 | Download : 760

Publication Date : 2025-10-28

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study investigates the spatial-cognitive representations, emotional responses, levels of disaster preparedness, and institutional expectations of fifth-grade middle school students in Bağcılar, a district of Istanbul that exemplifies urban life under high seismic hazard in Türkiye. Adopting a qualitative case study design, the research employed semi-structured interview forms to collect data, which were subsequently analyzed through content analysis. The results of the study reveal that students exhibit a vivid awareness of earthquake risks; however, this awareness is closely interwoven with intense feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and perceived inadequacy. Rather than framing earthquakes as geophysical phenomena, students predominantly conceptualize them through their destructive impacts—such as loss of life and property, physical damage to the built environment—and the emotional responses they trigger, including fear, panic, and helplessness. Furthermore, students view disaster response and recovery not merely as matters of individual preparedness, but also as requiring institutional capacity, coordinated governance, and systematic risk-reduction measures led by authorities.
Keywords : Afet, Afet Bilinci, Ortaokul Öğrencileri, Sosyal Bilgiler

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