DIGITAL HUMANITARIANISM: HOW DO SOCIAL NETWORKING COMMUNITIES CONTRIBUTE TO HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE AFTER DISASTER?

‘If something happens somewhere in the world – regardless of whether it is banal or profound – someone will tweet about it’ (Murthy, 2013, p. 20). This is more than ever a reality in a world where technological advances have made global communication much easier. In the networking age, the ubiquitous influence of social networks and the emergence of new online humanitarian actors arising from the Volunteer and Technical Communities, are bringing a whole new dimension to the humanitarian response after disaster. This study explores the kind of influence social networking communities can have on disaster response management operations. The study reviews some of the successful applications of social networks and deployments of online humanitarian volunteers. Through interviews with key informants, it seeks to delineate the kind of influence social networking communities may have on humanitarian response. Also, it poses a reflection on the next generation of humanitarian response after disaster, by assessing how these social networking communities are likely to reshape the ways in which humanitarian aid after disaster is provided. The research concludes that humanitarian organisations are at a technological crossroads. New actors from the online community are populating the humanitarian landscape. Humanitarian organisations must find ways to adjust to the social network age and make the most of its opportunities. The research also offers five recommendations to help in leveraging social networking communities for the next generation of humanitarian action. These relate to simulations, partnership opportunities, verification procedures, evidencebased research and training