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

这项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的恢复和恢复方面的使用和后果。2013年11月8日在菲律宾登陆的海燕是有记录以来最强的风暴之一，造成6000多人伤亡，1200多万人受到影响。特别是，我们建议调查直接受影响的人口和人道主义组织对数字技术和创新的使用，如移动电话、短信、危机地图和社交媒体。人们越来越认识到，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。这种乐观情绪引发了关于“人道主义技术”的讨论，指的是灾害多发社区在应对、恢复和重建过程中对技术的使用和应用(《2013年世界灾难报告》)。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，但几乎没有证据来评估它们的影响。在“人道主义技术”的描述中，似乎特别遗漏了受影响人口本身的视角。我们的民族志研究旨在权衡“人道主义技术”带来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。我们将具体审查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)资源重新分配；4)人道主义努力的问责制和透明度；5)受影响人口的发言权和赋权。这是一项为期18个月的人种学研究，将在两个受灾地点(莱特塔克洛班和宿务的班泰扬)进行，我们将在那里进行定性访谈、参与者观察和在线人种学。我们将与人道主义组织、政府机构和数字平台的代表进行更多的访谈，以评估他们在灾后恢复工作中使用技术创新的情况。从受灾人民和人道主义组织的角度进行比较，将使我们能够了解技术的实际和潜在用途。拟议的研究将是将对受影响人口的深入研究与对数字从业者和人道主义工作者的研究相结合的首批混合方法研究之一。该项目将与人道主义组织、政府和民间社会机构以及与我们建立伙伴关系的电信和数字技术行业直接接触。我们的研究旨在为学术界、政策界和公众关于通信技术在人道主义背景下的作用的辩论提供信息。

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.