TY - JOUR PY - 2020// TI - Disaster relief as social action: a Weberian look at postdisaster donation behavior JO - Sociological forum A1 - Penta, Samantha A1 - Wachtendorf, Tricia A1 - Nelan, Mary M. SP - 145 EP - 166 VL - 35 IS - 1 N2 - Disaster relief involves a broad range of participants, which often results in a disjunction between actual disaster needs and the perception of appropriate strategies in relief provision. This research examines data collected through interviews with donation drive operators responding to Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and the May 2013 Oklahoma tornadoes. Using Weber's ideal types of social action to understand motivations for engaging in disaster relief, this article argues that motivations for participating in and organizing such drives influence donation strategies, and these motivations can be used to explain persistent donation of nonuseful materiel items.

FINDINGS indicate several different motivations for involvement and that donation type appeared linked to motivation. We suggest that motivation for engaging in social action is a valuable approach to better understanding donation behavior and, consequently, addressing the social problem of materiel convergence in the postdisaster environment.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0884-8971 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/socf.12571 ID - ref1 ER -