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Social Media and the Crisis Lifecycle, Special Issue of Computers in Human Behavior

Crises, disasters and other high consequence / low probability events are occurring more frequently and have the potential to impact more people regardless of geographic location. Advances in communication and technology allow virtually anyone to watch as a crisis develops. These same technologies that allow individuals to view a crisis can also be used to prepare, warn, coordinate, respond to and evaluate extreme events. Specifically, new technological developments based off web 2.0 allow people to send and receive information, share their experiences, and develop communities throughout the crisis lifecycle. Sellnow and Seeger (2013) note that “crises, . . . have a very clear developmental structure and, identifiable if not predictable order and pattern.”  However, little is known about how this computer mediated communication process evolves throughout the crisis lifecycle.  Individuals can use different social media platforms to seek information, communicate with others, provide information and express emotion. Organizations and government agencies now have the ability to communicate to specific audiences concerning risks and actions to take as they seek to meet informational needs (Seeger, Sellnow & Ulmer, 2003). However, the unique ways social media has evolved and can be used to study extreme events has received only limited attention from researchers. Platforms and applications such as collaborative tools, social media and content sharing applications have the potential to transform communication throughout the crisis lifecycle at the individual, organizational and social levels.

With such tools at the disposal of individuals and organizations, expectations will grow concerning the effectiveness of crisis warnings, coordination, response and recovery (Coombs, 2007). Understanding how the principals, practices and technology of collaborative tools, social media and content sharing applications facilitate communication throughout the course of a crisis is critical to successfully dealing with the new challenges associated with such events. These technologies have tangible, specific implications throughout the various stages of a crisis.

This special issue of Computers in Human Behavior seeks innovative research investigating the use and extension of computer based technology and tools that transform communication processes throughout the crisis lifecycle.  Of specific interest are manuscripts that examine the variety of channels allowing for the collaborative creation and dissemination of content, how these are used by crisis participants to manage risks, events, and responses and how these processes are initiated and evolve over time.  Papers from various perspectives, including first responders, agencies, NGOs, community members, crisis participants, technology and content providers are encouraged.  In addition, papers may be grounded in a wide array of events and risks such as weather, technology, food contamination, building and bridge collapses, infectious disease outbreaks, fires, floods, earthquakes, transportation, intentional violence and other disaster related events. 

The overall goal of this special issue is to outline the current state of those technologies that can be used in crisis communication throughout the crisis lifecycle, and provide research which will outline possible directions for the future development and use of these technologies. 

Important dates

Paper Submission: November 1st 2014
Decision and Feedback after review: March 2015
Final Submission: May 2015

The final paper should be in accordance with the Journal’s Guide for Authors.

Guest editor Patric Spence, Division of Risk Sciences, Division of Instructional Communication & Research, University of Kentucky, [email protected]

References

Coombs, W.T. (2007). Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, and Responding. California: Thousand Oaks.
Seeger, M. W, Sellnow, T. L, & Ulmer, R. R. (2003). Organizational communication and crisis. Prager: Westport, CT.
Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2013). Theorizing Crisis Communication. John Wiley & Sons.

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