Concept Paper: Different natural disasters, different reactions? Illustrating discrepancies through a comparison of the case of Haiti’s earthquake and the Pakistan floods
Focus Statement
The aim of this media message is to show the measurable difference in the quantity of aid pledged by governments upon news of Pakistani flood with the aid pledged at time of and towards the Haiti earthquake. The goal is to analyse the reason for this well-documented discrepancy. The aspiration that sets this media message apart from all other such coverage is the desire to investigate sources and causes of this discrepancy without propagating a victim ideology and without furthering a sense of disempowerment among the Pakistani diaspora or any other affected groups.
Necessity and importance of topic
This topic is important for a number of reasons:
(a) An increasing number of disasters are predicted for the future. Therefore, it is important to learn from mistakes as to better prepare for the future and to prevent relief workers and policy writers from re-creating the wheel at times of natural disasters.
(b) The above coupled with an active reflection would only contribute to further formalizing the relief and aid industry
(c) A media message was chosen as the ideal way to present this with the hopes that the accessibility of information would encourage public to actively reflect on the subject matter; this would consequently lead to increase public participation in relief policies and aid decisions as practiced by governments, civil society and private individuals.
Proposed audience
The proposed audience for the media message is the general public with special focus on youth. The general public is further broken down into two sub-categories:
(a) For those with Pakistani heritage: I hope that this media message will allow them to recognize that the discrepancy in aid is being studied; the goal or hope is also that this message will motivate then to move out of that category of people that only laments about bias and into that category of people that try to understand the causes behind the discrepancy and to motivate them to change these causal factors.
(b) For those with non-Pakistani heritage: the application is firstly for them to see how this issue is perceived by those of Pakistani/Muslims/other sympathetic heritages or connections. Secondly, the hope is to acknowledge and address the qualms and concerns they may have about donating.
A blog supporting the media message has been created as to allow for ease of access and promotion of the message. This blog can be located at: http://pakistanfloodsvideoessay.blogspot.com/. Therefore, the hope is to post it in as many social networking and/or social media outlets as is possible. A few important starting points or leads would be: (a) Youtube, (b) facebook, (c) IM statuses, (d) discussion forums on topics of international relief, foreign policy and international development, (e) networking websites for those of Pakistani diasporas and (f) fundraising websites.
Includes references for materials used if not original images
A very detailed bibliography is presented on the blog of this project. In addition, conscious effort has been made to ensure that all information is presented in the most direct form possible (e.g. via direct quotes) as to allow viewers to verify accuracy of details as well as to enable them to find original sources of all individual pieces of information; doing so will provide audience the context to judge the validity and credibility of these pieces of information on their own.
