Urgent invite: Humanitarian Technologies. An Ethnographic Assessment of Communication Environments in Disaster Recovery and Humanitarian Intervention

拟议的研究旨在评估通信技术在菲律宾受台风“海燕”影响的人口恢复和重建中的用途和后果。2013年11月8日登陆菲律宾的“海燕”（当地称为“约兰达”）是有记录以来最强的风暴之一，造成6000多人伤亡，1200多万人受灾。特别是，我们建议调查直接受影响人群和人道主义组织对数字技术和创新的使用，如手机、短信、危机地图和社交媒体。人们日益认识到通信技术在预防、减轻和恢复灾害方面至关重要。甚至有人声称，社交媒体等数字创新正在改变人道主义，使“以人为本的人道主义行动”成为可能，使受灾社区能够协调和应对自己的问题。这种乐观主义引发了“人道主义技术”的讨论，指的是易受灾社区在应对、恢复和重建过程中对技术的使用和应用（《世界灾害报告》，2013年）。然而，尽管人们对数字技术作为人道主义救济工具的作用充满热情，但几乎没有证据可以评估它们的影响。关于“人道主义技术”的报道中似乎特别缺少的是受影响人口本身的观点。我们的人种学研究旨在权衡围绕“人道主义技术”的乐观情绪与用户的实际利益。我们的方法将受影响人群的声音置于分析的核心。我们将特别研究通信技术在以下关键领域的影响：1)信息传播；2)集体解决问题；3)资源再分配；4)人道主义工作的问责制和透明度；5)受影响人口的发言权和赋权。这是一项为期18个月的民族志研究，将在两个受灾地区（莱特岛的塔克洛班和宿务的班塔扬）进行，我们将进行定性访谈、参与者观察和在线民族志研究。我们将与人道主义组织、政府机构和数字平台的代表进行额外的访谈，以评估他们在灾后恢复工作中使用技术创新的情况。比较灾民和人道主义组织的观点将使我们了解技术的实际用途和潜在用途。拟议的研究将是首批将对受影响人群的深入研究与对数字从业人员和人道主义工作者的研究相结合的混合方法研究之一。该项目将直接与人道主义组织、政府和民间社会机构以及我们已建立伙伴关系的电信和数字技术行业合作。我们的研究旨在为学术、政策和公共辩论提供信息，讨论通信技术在人道主义背景下的作用。

The proposed research aims to assess the uses and consequences of communication technologies in the recovery and rehabilitation of populations affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda), which made landfall in the Philippines on November 8th 2013 was one of the strongest storms ever recorded with over 6000 casualties and more than 12 million people affected. In particular, we propose to investigate the uses of digital technologies and innovations such as mobile phones, SMS, crisis mapping and social media both by directly affected populations and humanitarian organisations. Communications technologies are increasingly recognized as vital in the prevention, mitigation and rehabilitation of disasters. It is even claimed that digital innovations such as social media are transforming humanitarianism by enabling 'people-centred humanitarian action' which empowers disaster-affected communities to coordinate and respond to their own problems. This optimism has given rise to a discourse on 'humanitarian technology' referring to the uses and applications of technology by disaster-prone communities in the response, recovery and rebuilding (World Disasters Report, 2013). Yet, despite the enthusiasm regarding the role of digital technologies as tools for humanitarian relief there is little evidence to assess their impact. What seems to be particularly missing from accounts on 'humanitarian technology' is the perspective of the affected populations themselves. Our ethnographic study aims to weigh the optimism surrounding 'humanitarian technology' against actual benefits to users. Our approach places the voice of affected people at the heart of the analysis. We will specifically examine the impact of communication technologies in the following critical areas: 1) information dissemination; 2) collective problem-solving; 3) redistribution of resources; 4) accountability and transparency of humanitarian efforts and, 5) voice and empowerment of affected populations. This is an 18-month ethnographic study that will take place in two disaster-affected locations (Tacloban, Leyte and Bantayan, Cebu) where we will conduct qualitative interviews, participant observation and online ethnography. We will conduct additional interviews with representatives from humanitarian organisations, government agencies and digital platforms to assess their uses of technological innovation in the disaster recovery efforts. Comparing the perspective of disaster-affected people and humanitarian organizations will allow us to understand both actual and potential uses of technology. The proposed research will be one of the first mixed method studies to combine an in-depth study of affected populations with a study of digital practitioners and humanitarian workers. The project will engage directly with humanitarian organizations, government and civil society agencies as well as the telecommunications and digital technology industry with which we have established partnerships. Our research aims to inform the academic, policy and public debates on the role of communication technologies in a humanitarian context.