Disaster mapping:

a forensic-geographic perspective on the root causes and drivers of disaster risk

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This article advances a forensic-geographic perspective on disaster mapping, emphasising the need to move beyond hazard-based representations toward uncovering the structural, spatial, and historical causes of disaster risk. Drawing on the principles of the Forensic Investigations of Disasters (FORIN) framework and critical geographic thought, it conceptualises mapping as an epistemological and political tool for diagnosing risk creation over time. Methodologically, the approach integrates multiscale spatial analysis, historical reconstruction, participatory methods, and diverse data sources – from institutional archives and satellite imagery to community testimonies and media discourses. Forensic-geographic mapping reveals latent vulnerabilities, governance failures, and interdependencies that conventional risk maps often obscure. It supports more reflexive, inclusive, and justice-oriented forms of disaster risk reduction by visualising causality and enabling grounded policy interventions. The paper discusses this approach's methodological challenges and transformative potential in advancing critical scholarship and systemic risk governance.