Unpacking Informal Volunteerism: WhatsApp Use for Crisis Relief in Ecuador

Info about the Project

When Ecuador was hit by a 7.8 intensity earthquake on April 16, 2016, the coordination efforts that unfolded relied heavily on the use and appropriation of social media such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter. While studies on informal volunteers in crisis situations have largely examined digital volunteerism and visible online activities, behind-the-scenes interactions among informal volunteers on the ground remain understudied. We present a qualitative interview study of how Ecuadorian informal volunteers self-organized to provide relief efforts in response to the earthquake.
Faculty: 
Neha Kumar
Students: 
Marisol Villacres, Cristina Velasquez