Unit name | The Politics of Humanitarian Aid |
---|---|
Unit code | SPAIM0045 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Tom Scott-Smith |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit examines humanitarian action from its origins to the present day, considering how humanitarianism has been defined, how humanitarian agencies operate, and assessing some of the consequences of humanitarian aid. By drawing on detailed case studies, the unit aims to:
Introduce students to the main institutions and practices involved in humanitarian action,
The unit is split into three main sections. The first looks at the emergence of humanitarianism: examining the origins of the Red Cross movement, its articulation of ‘classical’ operating principles, and the great revolution in humanitarian action in the early 1970s, in which the French organisation Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF) was founded in a split from the Red Cross. The second section look at a series of contemporary political issues, drawing on prominent case studies such as the Ethiopian famine of the early 1980s, the Great Lakes crisis of 1994-6, and the late-1990 war over Kosovo. The final section of the course examines contemporary scholarly debates about humanitarianism, including its relationship with neoliberalism and global governance.
Ten 2-hour seminars, combining lecture, student presentation, film, and discussion
Formative assessment: Seminar presentation
Summative assessment: 4000 word essay (assess all learning outcomes)
Barnett, M. (2011) Empire of humanity: a history of humanitarianism, Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Berman, P. (2007) Power and the idealists: or, The passion of Joschka Fischer, and its aftermath, New York: Norton. pp. 193-227.
De Waal, A. (1997) Famine crimes: politics and the disaster relief industry in Africa, Oxford: James Currey.
Moeller, S. (1999) Compassion fatigue: how the media sell disease, famine, war, and death, London: Routledge.
Redfield, P. (2013) Life in Crisis: the ethical journey of doctors without borders. University of California Press.
Rieff, D. (2002) A bed for the night: humanitarianism in crisis, London: Vintage.
Terry, F. (2002) Condemned to repeat? The paradox of humanitarian action, London: Cornell University Press.
Vaux, T. (2001) The selfish altruist: relief work in famine and war, London: Earthscan.