Unit information: Saving Strangers: NGOs and Humanitarianism Since 1945 (Level I Special Field) in 2017/18

Unit name	Saving Strangers: NGOs and Humanitarianism Since 1945 (Level I Special Field)
Unit code	HIST20095
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Edwards
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	HIST23008 Special Field Project
School/department	Department of History (Historical Studies)
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

From Biafra to Bosnia, and Ethiopia to Syria, humanitarianism – the campaigning and provision of aid to save lives, alleviate suffering, and protect human dignity across the globe – has become one of the defining characteristics of international action. Many of the key actors in this history have been international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which include household names such as the Red Cross, Oxfam, Save the Children, and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). In the contemporary era, these big aid agencies have mushroomed in size and number, evolving from small, amateur bodies into expansive professional outfits with global influence.

However, despite growing interest from historians, there is still much we do not yet fully understand about the historical dynamics, practices and development of modern humanitarianism and NGOs. This Special Field aims to introduce students to the history of these organisations and the role they have played in the development of an international humanitarian order. Particular attention is placed on the broader cultural, political and social phenomena which have inspired their rapid expansion both at home and abroad.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate their understanding of contemporary humanitarianism, and the role played by modern NGOs in its development.
2. Identify, explain, and critically assess existing historical interpretations, and develop their own independent arguments.
3. Analyse, synthesise and evaluate a range of primary sources in order to build wider arguments about the relationship between humanitarian NGOs, and broader cultural, political and social phenomena.
4. Demonstrate their ability to express their ideas in writing with a competence appropriate to level I/5.

Teaching Information

1 X 2-hour seminar per week

Assessment Information

One 2 hour exam (100%) [ILOs 1-4]

Reading and References

Michael Barnett, Empire of Humanity: A History of Humanitarianism (Cornell University Press, 2011).

Suzanne Franks, Reporting Disasters: Famine, Aid, Politics and the Media (C. Hurst & Co., 2013).

Matthew Hilton, James McKay, Nicholas Crowson, and Jean-François Mouhot, The Politics of Expertise: How NGOs Shaped Modern Britain (Oxford University Press, 2013).

Alex de Waal, Famine Crimes: Politics and the Disaster Relief Industry in Africa (James Currey, 1997)

Peter Walker and Daniel Maxwell, Shaping the Humanitarian World (Routledge, 2009).

Nicholas Wheeler, Saving Strangers: Humanitarian Intervention in International Society (Oxford University Press, 2000).