The paper aims to address the gap in literature on effective disaster governance in Southeast Asia, with a focus on COVID-19 management in Malaysia. It explores the intersection…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to address the gap in literature on effective disaster governance in Southeast Asia, with a focus on COVID-19 management in Malaysia. It explores the intersection of localized hazard understandings, disaster governance and policy implications, emphasizing systemic vulnerability, resilience enhancement and improving risk communication and resource management. The goal is to offer insights and frameworks for policymakers, researchers and practitioners to navigate disaster governance complexities in Southeast Asia, marked by unique challenges and vulnerabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs an analytical descriptive methodology, involving a comprehensive literature review of academic articles, official reports and case studies related to disaster governance in Malaysia. It focuses on evaluating Malaysia's disaster governance's adaptability, inclusivity and coordination, considering policy implementation, stakeholder engagement and resource allocation. This approach facilitates a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of Malaysia's strategies in integrating environmental and health disaster management systems.
Findings
The findings reveal that Malaysia's disaster governance, particularly during COVID-19, has been challenged by the need for rapid adaptation and coordination. While early lockdowns and a robust vaccination program were effective, they also highlighted issues in healthcare system capacity and socioeconomic impacts. The study emphasizes the importance of integrated, resilient disaster management strategies that consider public health, environmental risks and socio-economic factors. It underscores the need for improved stakeholder collaboration, infrastructure resilience and climate change mitigation in disaster governance.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited by a lack of specific data on Malaysia's unique socio-cultural, economic and political dynamics in disaster response. This gap hinders the development of nuanced, context-specific policies and practices for effective disaster governance, emphasizing the need for more region-focused studies.
Practical implications
The study highlights the need for Malaysia to develop more resilient, integrated disaster governance frameworks, emphasizing local community empowerment, sustainable infrastructure and climate change mitigation. It calls for enhanced regional cooperation in Southeast Asia for effective disaster preparedness and response.
Social implications
The research suggests that disaster governance should prioritize social resilience and inclusivity, addressing the varying impacts on different societal segments. Emphasis on mental health, community engagement and equitable resource distribution is vital for comprehensive disaster management and societal well-being in Southeast Asia.
Originality/value
This paper uniquely contributes to the understanding of disaster governance in Southeast Asia by combining empirical research and systematic reviews focused on Malaysia. It offers a novel perspective on integrating environmental and health disaster management, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities and resilience strategies. The study's value lies in its emphasis on the region's unique challenges, providing valuable insights for policymakers, researchers and practitioners in developing effective, context-specific disaster governance frameworks in Southeast Asia.
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Bob Doherty, Jonathan Ensor, Tony Heron and Patricia Prado
In this article, we offer a contribution to the ongoing study of food by advancing a conceptual framework and interdisciplinary research agenda – what we term “food system…
Abstract
In this article, we offer a contribution to the ongoing study of food by advancing a conceptual framework and interdisciplinary research agenda – what we term “food system resilience”. In recent years, the concept of resilience has been extensively used in a variety of fields, but not always consistently or holistically. Here we aim to theorise systematically resilience as an analytical concept as it applies to food systems research. To do this, we engage with and seek to extend current understandings of resilience across different disciplines. Accordingly, we begin by exploring the different ways in which the concept of resilience is understood and used in current academic and practitioner literatures – both as a general concept and as applied specifically to food systems research. We show that the social-ecological perspective, rooted in an appreciation of the complexity of systems, carries significant analytical potential. We first underline what we mean by the food system and relate our understanding of this term to those commonly found in the extant food studies literature. We then apply our conception to the specific case of the UK. Here we distinguish between four subsystems at which our “resilient food systems” can be applied. These are, namely, the agro-food system; the value chain; the retail-consumption nexus; and the governance and regulatory framework. On the basis of this conceptualisation we provide an interdisciplinary research agenda, using the case of the UK to illustrate the sorts of research questions and innovative methodologies that our food systems resilience approach is designed to promote.