44 research outputs found
Post-conflict disaster governance in Nepal:one-door policy, multiple-window practice
The response to the earthquakes in Nepal on 25 April and 12 May 2015 was as overwhelming as the magnitude of the events themselves. Tensions between the humanitarian imperative and the postâconflict stateâbuilding agenda soon became evident. Many actors offered support by creatively complying with the state's approach, whereas others bypassed official channels completely. In postâconflict settings such as Nepal, the situation is especially complicated because of the contradiction between policies underscoring the importance of the state in the response and the reality of the fragility of the state, which often leads to the significant involvement of aid organisations. The postâconflict political landscape of Nepal shaped the contours of the response, as well as how actors decided to operate within them. This paper, based on empirical findings from four months of research, contributes to a better understanding of the intricacies of the postâconflict and postâdisaster nexus in the context of a stateâled response
Constructing disaster response governance in post-conflict settings: Contention, collaboration and compromise
When Disaster Meets Conflict: A scenario-based approach to the politics of disaster governance in conflict settings
When Disaster Meets Conflict: A scenario-based approach to the politics of disaster governance in conflict settings
The Politics of the Multi-Local in Disaster Governance
âLocalisationâ became the new buzzword after the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016. However, the nature of the commitment to localisation since has been questioned. What is âthe localâ? How does localisation work in practice? With little empirical research, generalities in theory and practice have prevailed, preventing a nuanced approach to conceptualising the local. This study aims to build a foundation for the understanding of connotative, nuanced âlocalsâ and to explore the multiple dimensions of the local in both theory and practice. The methodology of a case study research, with a semi-structured and flexible approach, facilitated the identification of different elements of a locally led response that resounded in each of the cases. Combined with a literature review, this article aims to answer the questions: What underlying assumptions regarding the local are found in localisation rhetoric, and how do multi-local dynamics challenge locally led disaster response in practice? Answering this question necessitates deconstructing the multi-local in theory and critically examining expressions concerning the local in practice. In this study, one dimension of the local that was observed was âthe local as locale,â with the local describing primarily national actors as opposed to the international, without taking local power dynamics into account. The local was also seen in terms of governance, where localânational relations and intranational strife characterised locally led responses, and the national focus excluded local actors who were not usually involved in governance. The local also became a source of legitimation, with local, national and international actors all using the discourse of âthe state in chargeâ and âthe community knows bestâ to legitimise their own role as response actors while disputing othersâ capacities. The multi-local lens provides a perspective with potential to change current practices and contribute to a more transformative agenda
When the mountain broke: disaster governance in Sierra Leone
__Purpose:__ When a major landslide and floods devastated Freetown, Sierra Leone had just overcome the Ebola crisis, which had left its mark on socio-political relations between different disaster response actors. With international disaster response frameworks increasingly shifting to local ownership, the national government was expected to assume a coordinating role. However, in âpost-conflictâ settings such as Sierra Leone, intra-state and stateâsociety relations are continuously being renegotiated. This study aimed to uncover the complexities of state-led disaster response in hybrid governance setting at national and community levels in the response to the 2017 landslide and floods.
__Design/methodology/approach:__ During the four months of fieldwork in Freetown in 2017, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with various state, aid and societal actors were conducted.
__Findings:__ The findings show that a response to policy building on the idea of a uniform state response did not take into account intra-state power politics or the complexity of Sierra Leone's hybrid governance.
__Practical implications:__ This paper argues for a more nuanced debate in humanitarian governance and practice on the localisation of aid in post-conflict and fragile settings.
__Originality/value:__ The study's findings contribute to the literature on the disasterâconflict nexus, identifying paradoxes of localised disaster response in an environment with strong nationalâlocal tensions. The study highlights intra-local state dynamics that are usually overlooked but have a great impact on the legitimacy of different state authorities in disaster response