This paper begins by reviewing briefly at historical changes in the employment of geospatial technologies in major devastating disasters, including the Sichuan and Haiti earthquakes. It goes on to assess changes in the available dataset type and in geospatial disaster responders, as well as the impact of geospatial technological changes on disaster relief effort. Finally, the paper discusses lessons learned from recent responses and offers some thoughts for future development.
Washington, DC: Pew Internet & American Life Project
Location:
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
25 p., Charitable donations from mobile phones have grown more common in recent years. Two thirds (64%) of American adults now use text messaging, and 9% have texted a charitable donation from their mobile phone. The first-ever, in-depth study on mobile donors, which analyzed the "Text to Haiti" campaign after the 2010 earthquake -- finds that these contributions were often spur-of-the-moment decisions that spread virally through friend networks.
Considers the potential contribution of traditional construction techniques and materials to rebuilding in Port-au-Prince and other areas in Haiti that were devastated by the 2010 earthquake. Based on different examples of housing that collapsed or was damaged by the earthquake, it shows how traditional construction systems often demonstrated better resilience to earthquakes than buildings constructed with modern materials.
60 p., Explores the legal means by which victims of natural disasters could qualify as refugees and thus benefit from the power of migration as a tool for disaster recovery.
Katz,Ethan (Author) and Boscov-Ellen,Daniel (Author)
Format:
Pamphlet
Publication Date:
2010-04-14
Published:
Council on Hemispheric Affairs
Location:
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
12 p., Over the last few months there has been a surfeit of talk in the international community over what should be done for Haiti. However, in almost all of these discussions Haiti's historical context is completely excised -- It is almost as if the country had only come into being as a result of January's earthquake. This collective amnesia is damning since the devastating nature of these natural disasters cannot be understood apart from over two centuries of Haiti's colonial and postcolonial subjugation, foreign occupation, economic exploitation, and the degrading conditions faced by most of its population.
The problems associated with disaster relief assistance following the Haitian earthquake are described. International aid groups have been ineffective in reaching victims of the earthquake, as the poor administration of relief money has inadequately helped feed the population.
Discusses the importance of US leadership in the reconstruction of Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. Attention is given to unity of effort & the primacy of security in Haiti.
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
10 p., On January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti. As of January 20, 2010, 72,000 had been confirmed dead with hundreds of thousands more in need of assistance. The earthquake has left an estimated 1.5 million Haitians homeless. As discussed in this report, Congress has passed legislation with the goal of promoting charitable donations for the earthquake victims in Haiti. Tables, Figures.
