Disaster Governance and the Rise of Social Media: Ethnographic Perspectives from Germany

TY - CHAP

T1 - Disaster Governance and the Rise of Social Media

T2 - Ethnographic Perspectives from Germany

AU - Albris, Kristoffer

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - This chapter explores how social media platforms are changing how citizen-volunteers organise response activities in crises and emergencies, and discusses various challenges that this development presents at a time in which we are witnessing a shift from expert-based disaster management to a more complex and multi-stakeholder-oriented disaster governance (Jasanoff, 2010, p. 19). The chapter examines a case study of how Facebook groups were used by citizens during the 2013 June floods in Dresden, Germany. The aim is to understand and discuss what happens when new forms of media enable not only faster and more flexible forms of communication, but also challenge the traditional government command-and-control response to disasters (Dynes, 1994) by providing citizens new means to coordinate emergency responses. The chapter argues that the flexible and dynamic character of social media platforms, notably Facebook groups, which are the main object of analysis, provide a viable alternative to government entities for many citizens that are eager to participate in emergency response efforts, but who are often left out of official emergency plans and policies. This, however, upsets the traditional order of governance of flood emergencies in Dresden, where the professional agencies are in full control of the emergency situation. As such, the Dresden case serves as an illustrative example for discussing the impact of social media on disaster governance more broadly.

AB - This chapter explores how social media platforms are changing how citizen-volunteers organise response activities in crises and emergencies, and discusses various challenges that this development presents at a time in which we are witnessing a shift from expert-based disaster management to a more complex and multi-stakeholder-oriented disaster governance (Jasanoff, 2010, p. 19). The chapter examines a case study of how Facebook groups were used by citizens during the 2013 June floods in Dresden, Germany. The aim is to understand and discuss what happens when new forms of media enable not only faster and more flexible forms of communication, but also challenge the traditional government command-and-control response to disasters (Dynes, 1994) by providing citizens new means to coordinate emergency responses. The chapter argues that the flexible and dynamic character of social media platforms, notably Facebook groups, which are the main object of analysis, provide a viable alternative to government entities for many citizens that are eager to participate in emergency response efforts, but who are often left out of official emergency plans and policies. This, however, upsets the traditional order of governance of flood emergencies in Dresden, where the professional agencies are in full control of the emergency situation. As such, the Dresden case serves as an illustrative example for discussing the impact of social media on disaster governance more broadly.

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 9781138206823

BT - Governance of Risk, Hazards and Disasters

A2 - Forino, Giuseppe

A2 - Bonati, Sara

A2 - Calandra, Lina M.

PB - Routledge

CY - Oxon

ER -