Disaster time: reconceptualizing disasters and temporal politics

Purpose The paper introduces disaster time as both an analytical concept and theoretical framework, reconceptualizing temporal dynamics in disaster contexts and challenging traditional, linear models of disaster response. It seeks to offer NGOs ideas to develop more equitable and adaptive practices by considering nonlinear, entangled temporalities that better address systemic vulnerabilities. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual work introduces “disaster time,” employing process philosophy, governmentality studies and new materialist thought. Using a theoretical framework, the paper explores how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) navigate complex temporalities in disaster governance systems. Findings The paper reveals how NGOs are constrained by neoliberal disaster governance models that prioritize short-term recovery over systemic change. By adopting “disaster time,” NGOs can recognize overlapping temporalities, such as the prolonged effects of disasters on marginalized communities and advocate for temporal justice. Practical implications Understanding and utilizing disaster time enables NGOs to meaningfully address recurring traumas and the lingering effects of disasters, encouraging the deployment of more adaptable disaster governance systems. This shift encourages NGOs to align their strategies with the realities of prolonged and complex crises, advocating for flexible, long-term funding and policies. Originality/value This paper provides a novel perspective on temporal dynamics in disasters, emphasizing the intersection of human and non-human agencies and the inadequacies of traditional phase-based disaster management. “Disaster time” offers NGOs new pathways to challenge dominant disaster narratives.