Responding to Black Swans
Why Ordinary Citizens Matter
by
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A number of people around the globe have either saved or attempted to rescue strangers involved in life-threatening emergencies, at times when doing so poses danger to their own lives. This relentless display of humanness by untrained bystanders is mind-boggling especially at a time when most nations have institutionalized emergency response systems equipped with professional rescuers. Is this a “call to duty” by our creator, one might want to ask? This book recounts global examples in which bystanders have done whatever they could to save lives. What is it, one might ask, that makes many of us extend this humane side of humans without expecting any form of reward whether in China, India, Austria, U.S., Togo, Mozambique or Japan? Given this positive human behavior, what then can governments do to recognize this cost-effective alternative to responding to emergencies and thereby incorporate willing citizens into the process? To gain some bearing on this interesting and yet difficult questions, explore, in this book, some of the most persuasive theoretical arguments and factual accounts advanced from chapter one to the end. A checklist for preparing to different kinds of emergency is provided in the appendix.
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About the Book
Given the frequency of natural and man-made disasters and the degree to which ordinary citizens find themselves as first responders, this book offers some well-researched answers to the following and frequently asked questions:
— What motivates ordinary citizens to (or to want to) assist others in danger even when their own lives might be at stake?
— To what extent do human emotions influence public policy and administrative decisions on how to mitigate, prepare for, and respond to catastrophic events?
— How can governments better prepare for emergencies knowing these facts?
The book goes further to suggest a number of strategies for policy makers, communities, and individuals to protect human lives and property. Tool kit URLs for preparing to different types of emergencies are included.
About the Author
Simon H. Okoth, PhD, is a professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University. His scholarly interests include international water rights, comparative public policy, and governance in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in international relations, comparative politics, comparative social policy, politics of developing areas, development and underdevelopment, international political economy, politics of the Middle East, government and politics of Africa, public policy analysis, and the practice of public administration. His teaching has taken him to a number of countries, including Afghanistan (American University of Afghanistan), Saudi Arabia (King Saud University), and United Arab Emirates (Zayed University). Dr. Okoth previously worked for the U.S. Peace Corps and American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.