This document discusses actor-network theory (ANT) and its application to understanding post-disaster contexts. ANT considers both human and non-human actants as equally important. The document applies ANT concepts to re-examine interview data from three post-disaster areas: Cuba, Haiti, and Victoria. Themes and motivations that emerged included the unintended consequences of food aid and the influence of TV cameras. While ANT allows for a holistic description, questions remain around whether it produces replicable and actionable insights to inform disaster risk reduction policy.

1. Understanding the role of human
and non-human actants in post-disaster
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
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contexts
Graham Brewer, Helen Giggins, Aoibheann McVeigh,
Jason von Meding, Jamie Mackee and Thayaparan
Gajendran
Centre for Interdisciplinary Built Environment Research
The University of Newcastle
Australia

2. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Actor Network Theory
Newton did not really act alone in creating the theory of
gravitation: he needed observational data from the
Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed, he needed publication
support from the Royal Society and its members (most
especially Edmund Halley), he needed the geometry of
Euclid, the astronomy of Kepler, the mechanics of Galileo,
the rooms, lab, food, etc. at Trinity College, an assistant to
work in the lab, the mystical idea of action at a distance,
and more, much more. The same can be said of any
scientific or technological project.
(Goguen, J.A. (1999), Art and the Brain. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 6(6/7), June/July.)

3. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
ANT process
• Networks come into being through the three steps of
Translation:
– Problematisation: defining problem network, boundaries and actants
(by Obligatory Passage Point who defines network membership rules)
– Interessment: OPP seeks universal actant “buy-in”
– Enrolment: occurs when this is achieved
– Mobilisation: of allies in pursuit of a common cause
• Human and non-human actants
– Equal emphasis placed on people, things and concepts
– Potentially of equal agency and equal importance to outcomes
– Non-human actants can therefore posess motivations

4. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
ANT lens
• ANT concepts adopted (but NOT process)
• Systematic re-use of interview data
• Eyewitness accounts and/or reflections of practitioners
engaged in disaster recovery and resilient reconstruction
• Deconstructed to identify
– Full range of actants (human and nonhuman)
– Their concerns/motivations
• Limitations
– Range of actants constrained by interviewee list and interviewee
testimony
– Development of concern/motivations constrained by original interview
script

5. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
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Contexts, themes and motivations
• Three disaster theatres
– Cuba
– Haiti
– Victoria
• Coding
– Open: to allow meaning (themes) to emerge from accounts
– Axial: to allow detail about themes to emerge from data
• Motivations (of non-human actants)
– Design intent
– Creation
– Deployment

6. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Themes and motivations: examples

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‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
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Sample findings: food aid
• Food aid as:
– Humanitarian relief
– Evidence of NGO activity
– Marketing NGO to
prospective donors
• Food aid is also:
– Currency
– Economic intervention
– Trigger to (unintended)
behaviour

8. Sample findings: coherent & integrated policy
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Haiti
• Haiti characterised by a lack of
government regulation and
control, unregulated urban and
rural development.
• Economic policies driven by need
to create export revenues: cash
crops predominated.
• Land clearance led to
deforestation: increased
vulnerabilities to landslides and a
general loss of the topsoil.
• Also resulted in a lack of timber
for construction, increasing local
reliance upon concrete as the
predominant building material.
Cuba
• Whole-of-community engagement with
disaster preparedness initiatives.
• Mutual responsibility amongst the
population for health and safety
outcomes..
• Long-term planning and resourcing of
disaster refuges and health facilities.
• Constant communication between
disaster actors and the general
population.
• Reduction of social inequalities to
mitigate post-disaster vulnerabilities
and accentuate resilience outcomes
• Development of innovative building
materials, techniques, and training.

9. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
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Sample findings: TV cameras
Benefits
• Alerts
• Informs
• Mobilises
Drawbacks
• Triggers uncharacteristic
behaviour
• Fosters ill-informed, fringe
commentary
• Encourages ill-conceived
promises
• Intrudes/breaches privacy

10. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
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Conclusions
• Benefits
– Facilitates rich description of complex situations
– Freedom to include seemingly unrelated actants into descriptions
– Enables freer consideration of the non-human influence
– Potential to reveal new insights
– Holism at its best
• Cautions
– Is it science?
– Is it replicable?
– Is it enough to reliably inform the DRR CCA agenda?

11. Added value for the Post 2015 Framework for
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
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Disaster Risk Reduction
• How did this research support the implementation of the
Hyogo Framework for Action?
– ……it didn’t, but….
• The Post 2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction is
intended to address gaps, needs and further steps in relation
to
– Informed policy development
– Where outcomes more closely match intent
• Careful deployment by researchers of ANT has the capacity to
sensitise policymakers and practitioners to the consequences
of their actions, leading to
– Better policy
– Better deployment
– Resilient outcomes!