Disaster Management Norms and Ethics

Sun. 3:30-5:00 p.m., Interlocken A

What are the norms—if any—in disaster management and how are they established? For professions (e.g., planning and medicine) involved in disaster prevention, response, and recovery, professional ethics may govern behavior, but ethical canons are often criticized for focusing on the needs of the profession rather than those served. There have also been efforts to establish guidelines for the behavior of entire sectors, like the Red Cross Humanitarian Code and the Sphere Project. What should the rules be and how might adherence to the rules be assessed and enforced?

Shirley Laska, Moderator
University of New Orleans

Roberto Barrios, Panelist
Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Tom Kirsch, Panelist
Johns Hopkins University Center for Refugee and Disaster Response

Ben Smilowitz, Panelist
Disaster Accountability Project