New insights in flood risk management: learning from global case studies of stakeholder partnerships
This is a call for chapter contributions to book entitled "New Insights in Flood Risk Management: Learning from Global Case Studies of Stakeholder Partnerships".
Introduction
Flood risk management is traditionally seen as a public and government responsibility. However, this traditional approach of flood disaster management has become unstainable rendering governments incapacitated, and at the mercy of reactionary pressures from the populace. It is also becoming clear that, heavily depending on government resources alone is not enough and requires integrating social responsibility in the planning and decision-making process, so as to encourage partnerships from the private sector and civil societies organisations. Within this context, partnership between public and private organisations is now seen as critical in engendering impact driven flood emergency and disaster resilience approaches and adaptation. This align with the Sendai framework in encouraging disaster risk reduction efforts to be seen not only as the responsibility of Governments but collaboration among all stakeholders. To this extent, partnership can indeed take several forms. Partnership may take the form of communities coming together in managing low-cost early warning systems, interagency partnership involving government organizations, partnership involving small and medium sized companies, cooperation in flood defence or in asset management by public institutions involving Ministries and Municipalities for policy directions and many others. Nonetheless, partnerships may also bring along different interest groups and concerns that can become recipe for conflicts and mismanagement; because vision, responsibilities, financial interest and technical capability may vary and thus pose difficulties in practice. Country specifics, governance and legal regimes may also create unique challenges that need to be contextualised and understood. Understanding the nuances and emerging dynamics of partnerships in flood risk management with a view to learning from global cases in a manner that make them easily accessible and appreciated by policy makers and the general public is therefore necessary, as an alternative approach for influencing sustainable interventions in flood risk management.
Book Structure
The focus of this edited book is on partnerships and how countries are leveraging options to complement flood risk management approaches in the three main interfaces of; before the flood event, during the flood event and after the flood events. Partnerships could take several forms and the book will strive to seek for broad range engagements with lessons to share on the varied forms such as the different forms of partnership working, concepts of partnerships, frameworks for integrated flood risk management, building effective partnerships, tools and techniques for managing flood risk collaboratively, role of communities, etc. It is intended for the edited book to reflect continental and cross-cultural, experiences comparison and appreciation. This means that, partnership could involve many stakeholders at the same time and/or overlap but treated in context, at the community level, local government level, national level and international level, from the various continental blocks listed below. Contributions are therefore sourced from across globe reflecting the following continental blocks. Section I: Partnerships from Africa Section II: Partnerships from Europe Section III: Partnerships for North America Section IV: Partnerships from South America Section V: Partnerships from Asia Section VI: Partnerships from Oceania Section VII: Partnerships across continents
Content and scope of chapters
The chapter should focus on the current state of affairs and of the research in that particular area with the potential of providing new insight for the future. It should however not be overly descriptive, but instead give your critical analysis of the matter and contain suggestions for improvement and further developments. As such articles may do one of the followings: 1. Systematic Review: Present a thorough/systematic review of current research in an area of partnerships pointing to future research direction. 2. Overview of research: Present a full overview of research in an area followed by highlighting some interesting themes on partnerships perhaps drawing on the authors' own research 3. Empirical Research: Present an empirical research of good practice in regard to a specific aspect of partnership in flood risk management and drawing on real life projects, cases, processes and experiences. 4. Action Research: Presents an action-research seeking to demonstrate the use of applied research in partnerships incorporating ordinary or popular knowledge in creating public awareness and empowering communities. 5. Historical-comparative research: Presents a historical-comparative evaluation focussing on historical rather than contemporary practices including how partnerships have been used in flood control across different cultures and useful lessons for modernity.
Timetable
20 December 2024: Send chapter outline of 750-1000 words
15 January 2025: Feedback on your outline
30 June 2025: First full draft of manuscript
31 July 2025: Review of manuscript
30 September 2025: Second/final draft of manuscript
1 December 2025: Submission of publication to publisher
If you are interested to contribute a chapter, please contact: Professor Divine Kwaku Ahadzie via email: [email protected]