ABSTRACT
Globalization is seen as a process that has accelerated the international circulation and sharing of ideas. Boosted by advances in communication technology, it has facilitated the flow of knowledge by spreading information around the world. However, despite these positive aspects, communication between individuals does not seem better than before. Miscommunication, lack of transparency in public decisions, and inconsistencies in official discourses are all factors that disrupt the communication between “states” and “non-state” actors. This situation has been reinforced in times of crises, such as worldwide disasters. Leading to global panic, catastrophes have plunged societies into chaos and populations into utter confusion. Unfortunately, the inability and unpreparedness of global institutions to communicate clearly and guide populations during crisis have aggravated the situation: the absence of explanations by global agencies has indirectly encouraged the development of conspiracy theories, speculative narratives that compete with official versions of events and exacerbate social confusion. Our argument is that globalization should be urgently reformed and revised by integrating “disaster” as well as “risk communication” into conceptions of the global project to overcome future worldwide global panic.
