本书由灾害史研究的理论与方法、历史灾害风险与粮食安全研究、中西方灾荒史比较研究以及历史灾害与社会发展研究四个论题组成。这四个问题都是灾害史研究中的重要内容，也是学界正在讨论甚或存在争议的学术议题。在灾害史研究的理论与方法方面，论述了灾荒文献资源的整理利用以及相关问题，梳理了灾荒思想观念的发展演变，指出了灾害史研究中的一些突出问题。在历史灾害风险与粮食安全研究方面，尝试探索一条基于历史灾荒特征并借鉴现代灾害学原理的风险评价路径，从总体上对历代自然灾害的危害程度做了初步测算，并将这种测算结果与粮食安全问题结合起来，以求在灾害与民生之间建立内在的逻辑关系。在中西方灾荒史比较研究方面，通过历史灾荒成因的对比分析提出了因应中西方灾荒特征的弹性灾荒和刚性灾荒概念；通过中西方灾荒频度及影响的比较提出灾害结构的概念，指出中西方灾荒历史的本质差别；通过中西方灾荒史中农业技术要素的考察充分肯定了传统农业生产技术的减灾功能；通过中西方灾民生活史的考察揭示了中西方灾荒的特征表现及其社会影响因素。在历史灾害与社会发展研究方面，从个案、区域和国家三个维度讨论了自然灾害成灾应对的历史过程，提出了衡量灾害严重程度和社会控制力度的重要指标——“灾荒指数”。

this book is composed of four topics: the theory and method of disaster history research, the research of historical disaster risk and food security, the comparative study of Chinese and western disaster history, and the research of historical disaster and social development. These four questions are important contents in the study of disaster history, and are also academic topics that are being discussed or even controversial. In terms of the theory and method of disaster history research, this paper discusses the collation and utilization of disaster literature resources and related problems, sorts out the development and evolution of disaster history ideas, and points out some prominent problems in disaster history research. In terms of historical research on disaster risk and food security, try to explore a famine features based on the history and the principles of modern disaster risk evaluation path, on the whole the harm of natural disasters of all previous dynasties made a preliminary calculation, and combined the calculated result with the food security problem, in disasters and internal logical relationship between the livelihood of the people. In terms of the comparative study of the history of disasters in China and the west, through the comparative analysis of the causes of historical disasters, this paper puts forward the concepts of elastic disasters and rigid disasters according to the characteristics of disasters in China and the west. By comparing the frequency and impact of natural disasters between China and the west, the concept of disaster structure was put forward, and the essential difference between the history of natural disasters between China and the west was pointed out. Through the investigation of agricultural technological factors in the history of disasters in China and the west, the function of traditional agricultural production technology in disaster reduction is fully affirmed. Through the investigation of the life history of victims in China and the west, the characteristics and social factors of famine in China and the west are revealed. In terms of the research on historical disasters and social development, the historical process of natural disaster disaster response is discussed from the perspective of individual cases, regions and countries. < / p >