This joint special issue of Disasters and Development Policy Review discusses the role of information technology and social media both in disasters and development contexts more broadly. Recognising the ever more important impact technology is having on society, this issue represents a timely review of articles previously published by each of these journals since 2013. Building on a dearth of literature in this field, these articles offer a valuable contribution to the debate on the role and use of technology in disaster settings.

Articles in this issue will be free to access until the end of April 2020.