A new book authored by York University Professor David Etkin takes a deep dive into the ethical analysis of emergency management.
Etkin's book The Ethical Emergency Manager: Issues, Morality and Dilemmas is geared toward professionals and students, and outlines how ethics are at the core of emergency management.
Beginning with an overview of ethical theories relevant to this field, the book then delves into an examination of a number of important issues, including moral development, ethical risk assessment, the precautionary principle, victim blaming, land-use planning, humanitarianism, lifeboat ethics, disaster financial assistance, pandemic planning, price gouging, risk communication, codes of ethics and how Eastern ethical perspectives differ from those in the West.
Engaging and visually appealing, this book will encourage the reader to examine their own moral values and explore how they play out in a variety of ethical conundrums.
David Etkin
Etkin, who is a professor of Disaster and Emergency Management, says this book will help educate emergency managers who have not had exposure to this line of inquiry.
"I am writing this book for them, as well as for students studying in this field," he says in the book's preface. "Ethics is fundamental to the theory and practice of emergency management, but its importance has not been sufficiently recognized within the professions."
Etkin has contributed to several national and international natural hazard projects including: the second U.S. national assessment of natural hazards; the IPCC; serving as principal investigator of the Canadian National Assessment of Natural Hazards; and in his current role as past-president of the Canadian Risk and Hazards Network. He has more than 80 publications including textbooks on disaster theory and emergency management ethics, and six edited volumes.
The book is available on Amazon.