Description
Book SynopsisYears of tremendous growth in response to complex emergencies have left a mark on the humanitarian sector. Various matters that once seemed settled are now subjects of intense debate. What is humanitarianism? Is it limited to the provision of relief to victims of conflict, or does it include broader objectives such as human rights, democracy promotion, development, and peacebuilding? For much of the last century, the principles of humanitarianism were guided by neutrality, impartiality, and independence. More recently, some humanitarian organizations have begun to relax these tenets. The recognition that humanitarian action can lead to negative consequences has forced humanitarian organizations to measure their effectiveness, to reflect on their ethical positions, and to consider not only the values that motivate their actions but also the consequences of those actions.
In the indispensable Humanitarianism in Question, Michael Barnett and Thomas G. Weiss bring together schola
Trade Review
This is a superb survey of the rise and challenges of international humanitarianism assistance. The book chronicles the remarkable post-Cold War emergence of a global system of humanitarian relief—a system complete with doctrines, organizations, and extensive field operations. But it is also a system under stress, working increasingly with little guidance or support in war-torn societies.... The authors in this collection step back from these developments to ask first-order questions about the purposes and principles of humanitarianism.... This book will long be an essential guide to the theory and politics of global humanitarianism.
-- G. John Ikenberry * Foreign Affairs *
Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations1. Humanitarianism: A Brief History of the Present - MICHAEL BARNETT AND THOMAS G. WEISS
2. The Rise of Emergency Relief Aid - JAMES D. FEARON
3. The Imperative to Reduce Suffering: Charity, Progress, and Emergencies in the Field of Humanitarian Action - CRAIG CALHOUN
4. Saying "No" to Wal-Mart? Money and Morality in Professional Humanitarianism - STEPHEN HOPGOOD
5. Humanitarian Organizations: Accountable-Why, to Whom, for What, and How? - JANICE GROSS STEIN
6. The Grand Strategies of Humanitarianism - MICHAEL BARNLTT AND JACK SNYDER
7. The Power of Holding Humanitarianism in Hostage and the Myth of Protective Principles - LAURA HAMMOND
8. Sacrifice, Triage, and Global Humanitarianism - PETER REDFIELD
9. The Distributive Commitments of International NGOs - JENNIFER C. RUBENSTEIN
10. Humanitarianism as a Scholarly Vocation - MICHAEL BARNETT
11. Humanitarianism and Practitioners: Social Science Matters - PETER J. HOFFMAN AND THOMAS G. WEISSContributors
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