The use of social solidarity in disaster management

Disasters are large-scale events that the society cannot cope with, causing physical, social and economic effects on individuals and societies. In order to reduce or eliminate the effects of disasters, society must be involved in the disaster management process. It is important in the integrated disaster management system that individuals who make up the society take an active role before, during and after the disaster. The aim of this research is to reveal the role and importance of social solidarity in the disaster management process in Turkey, which social networks are used in disasters, and the contributions of social networks to disaster management. Situation analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Using the purposeful sampling method, interviews were conducted with individuals who constitute the society, including non-governmental organizations such as AFAD, Red Crescent and neighborhood disaster volunteers, and people who have experienced disasters. The obtained data were analyzed with the situation analysis technique in the MAXQDA22 qualitative analysis program. As a result of the qualitative research; It is not possible to carry out the process without providing social solidarity and cooperation in disasters. During the research process, the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023, had a positive impact on the process as all segments of the society supported the work and sent aid to the disaster area or from the region where it was located. In the research, individuals stated that the society came together in every crisis and the process could be managed in solidarity. However, it has been revealed in our research that there are deficiencies in pre-disaster solidarity and trust in Turkey. The weakening of social networks causes a lack of trust and a decrease in solidarity. In this context, our study includes suggestions on sustainability by revealing the contributions of social networks in disaster management. As a result of this study, examples of social solidarity in disasters and the role and importance of society in the disaster management process have been revealed. Keywords: Disaster, Integrated Disaster Management, Social Solidarity, Social Network, Social Capital.