MARS - George Mason University

narrative of diluvian landscapes and ontological heroes and villains. It was a narrative of
one of the most redoubtable failings of our government in our lifetime.
Complicating things beyond measure was the way local, state, and federal
governments spoke to each other and about each other in the immediate days before and
after that fateful day. I suggest that the discourse between the three governmental entities
charged with handling Hurricane Katrina’s emergency management provides a basis for
understanding how the officials failed to implement an effective disaster response.
This dissertation analyzes the narratives that unfolded in the seven days
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surrounding Hurricane Katrina’s landfall. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, New
Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, and the federal government represented the three levels of
government directly responsible for coordinating Katrina’s emergency preparation and
response. 5
I review the private conversations and public statements made by Blanco, Nagin,
and the federal government, defining the federal government as: 1) Mike Brown, the
Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Under Secretary; 2) Michael
Chertoff, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and 3) the White
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Landfall is the point where the eye of the hurricane makes contact with land (Ouellette 35). The word
“hurricane” is derived from the name of a Mayan creator god—“Hurican” (Ouellette 8).
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Many other federal agencies may be involved, but only FEMA is responsible for coordinating the disaster
response. For instance, the FBI will be present if the incident is deemed a crime scene such as 9/11 and the
Murrah Federal Building bombing. If the weather is involved, NOAA will communicate meteorological
predictions, public information, and warnings.
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