Howe Paul, Devereux Stephen
Institute of Development Studies, Univertsity of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 9RE, UK.
Disasters. 2004 Dec;28(4):353-72. doi: 10.1111/j.0361-3666.2004.00263.x.
Ambiguities in current usage of the term "famine" have had tragic implications for response and accountability in a number of recent food crises. This paper proposes a new approach to defining famine based on the use of intensity and magnitude scales, where "intensity" refers to the severity of the crisis at a given location and point in time, while "magnitude" describes the aggregate impact of a crisis. The scales perform three operations on "famine": first, moving from a binary conception of "famine/no famine" to a graduated, multi-level definition; second, disaggregating the dimensions of intensity and magnitude; and third, assigning harmonised "objective" criteria in place of subjective, case-by-case judgements. If adopted, the famine scales should contribute to more effective and proportionate responses, as well as greater accountability in future food crises.
“饥荒”一词当前用法的模糊性在近期一些粮食危机中给应对措施及问责带来了悲惨影响。本文提出一种基于强度和规模量表来定义饥荒的新方法，其中“强度”指特定地点和时间点危机的严重程度，而“规模”描述危机的总体影响。这些量表对“饥荒”执行三项操作：第一，从“饥荒/无饥荒”的二元概念转变为分级的、多层次的定义；第二，分解强度和规模维度；第三，用统一的“客观”标准取代主观的逐案判断。若被采用，饥荒量表应有助于在未来粮食危机中做出更有效、更适度的应对，以及实现更大程度的问责。
