Citizen participation in disaster recovery projects and programmes in rural communities: a comparison of the Haiti earthquake and Hurricane Katrina

Abstract

This study investigates predictors of local participation in recovery projects and programmes following Hurricane Katrina in the United States in 2005 and the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Using two sets of survey data, it examines whether disaster impacts and social capital (social trust and civic engagement) are associated with disaster recovery participation and compares predictors of such engagement in the two locations. Multivariate logistic regression results reveal that physical injuries, limited community mobility, and government trust increase recovery participation in Haiti (n=278), whereas emotional distress and homeownership decrease it. On the Gulf Coast of the US (n=259), physical injuries and higher civic engagement augment recovery participation, while homeownership and age reduce it. The confounding factors of national contexts and post-disaster time frames might explain the differences in the results. The discussion addresses the relation between country-specific vulnerability and recovery participation and suggests implications for policy and practice to improve local citizens' capabilities to participate in sustainable recovery processes.

Disaster-Recovery Social Capital and Community Participation in Earthquake-Stricken Ya’an Areas

“…Community members mobilized by local government or by community self-organization had many differences in social characteristics. Studies [53,54] discuss the relationship between the social characteristics of community members and community participation generally, and do not consider the mobilization factors of local government.…”

Analyzing the Role of Resource Factors in Citizens’ Intention to Pay for and Participate in Disaster Management

“…Hicks et al demonstrated that citizens' participation led to global mapping and resulted in enhancing the disaster reduction [6]. They showed how a real-time natural disaster In fact, when disaster strikes, because citizens are present at the scene of a disaster, they can be the "true" first responders, who can actively address community needs by participating in activities such as the restoration of public services and infrastructure [22][23][24][25][26][27]. Therefore, the government expects more efficient solutions by encouraging individuals to participate in disaster management.…”

The Syrian refugee crisis: how local governments and NGOs manage their image via social media

“…However, the achievement of civic engagement is a key ingredient for building trust in such actors and, consequently, for fostering benevolence and support for their decisions (Harvey, ). To realise civic engagement, the use of an adequate crisis response communication strategy is crucial, as it allows citizens to: (i) understand the actions taken by such entities (Sciulli, ); (ii) respond to their decisions (Nussbaum, ); and (iii) collaborate with them to enhance the management of disasters (Pyles et al, ).…”