ABSTRACT

This special issue of Environmental Hazards provides a critical look at the contested relationship between formalised disaster management organisations and the emergent power of unaffiliated informal volunteers. Using international case studies, the five papers identify conceptual, contextual and practical challenges and opportunities. Much attention is given to definitions; these are important as through definitions whole categories of people and activity can be included as volunteering or excluded and treated as invisible. The emergent nature of informal volunteers provides surge capacity in emergencies – something all the papers in this special issue are concerned with in different ways. Another attribute examined is that informal volunteers, operating without the constraints typical of government agencies, can offer organisational agility, flexible problem-solving, and ready access to evolving information and communication technology. However, also examined are the potential problems of legal liability and questions about the rights and obligations of volunteers. A paper on indigenous volunteering in emergencies starts to fill a major gap in understanding of the roles of volunteers in indigenous communities. Four Australian cases are used to examine what informal volunteering could look like in action. It appears that governments almost everywhere, want more citizen involvement and self-reliance in emergencies, but on the government’s terms.

摘要

本期《环境危害》专刊着眼于正式的灾害管理组织与独立的非正式志愿者之间新兴的力量之间存在争议的关系。通过国际案例研究，这五篇论文确定了概念，背景和实践方面的挑战和机遇。人们对定义给予了极大的关注。这些很重要，因为通过定义，可以将整个类别的人员和活动视为志愿者，也可以将其排除在外，并视为无形。非正式志愿者的紧急状态为紧急情况提供了突增的能力-本期特刊中的所有论文都以不同的方式关注这些问题。考察的另一个属性是，非正式志愿者在不受政府机构约束的情况下运作，可以提供组织敏捷性，灵活的问题解决方案，可以随时访问不断发展的信息和通信技术。但是，还检查了潜在的法律责任问题以及有关志愿者的权利和义务的问题。关于紧急情况下的土著志愿服务的论文开始填补在理解志愿者在土著社区中的作用方面的重大空白。澳大利亚有四个案例被用来研究非正式志愿服务的实际情况。似乎几乎所有地方的政府都希望在紧急情况中更多地让公民参与和自力更生，但要以政府的条件为准。关于紧急情况下的土著志愿人员的论文开始填补在理解志愿者在土著社区中的作用方面的重大空白。澳大利亚有四个案例被用来研究非正式志愿服务的实际情况。似乎几乎所有地方的政府都希望在紧急情况中更多地让公民参与和自力更生，但要以政府的条件为准。关于紧急情况下的土著志愿人员的论文开始填补在理解志愿者在土著社区中的作用方面的重大空白。澳大利亚有四个案例被用来研究非正式志愿服务的实际情况。似乎几乎所有地方的政府都希望在紧急情况中更多地让公民参与和自力更生，但要以政府的条件为准。