{"product_id":"the-humanitarian-parent-9781032294391","title":"The Humanitarian Parent","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAid sector staff work in some of the world's most challenging environments, from conflict zones to sites of natural disaster and refugee camps. For a long time, the aid worker was typified by the lone white male, flying from place to place and seeing his family during the holidays. But now, as the world changes and the sector diversifies, how can family life be reconciled with the challenges and travel commitments of this particularly difficult career? This book delves deep into these challenges, exposing the problems that persist and pointing a path for organisations to adopt a more human-centred, staff-centred, parent-centred, feminist approach to humanitarian and development work. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on the author's own experiences as an aid worker, as well as extensive original interviews and desk research, the book looks at the challenges faced by those who aspire to a family life, from finding a partner who is willing and able to live in the same location, to dating in difficult co\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Humanitarian Parent\u003c\/i\u003e is a watershed addition to the discourse about what it means to be human and purposeful in the humanitarian sector. Hietanen left no stone unturned. \u003ci\u003eThe Humanitarian Parent\u003c\/i\u003e provides a provocative glimpse into what are at once the deeply personal and yet systemic contradictions, paradoxes and intersectionality of parenting in the humanitarian sector.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLucy Ellis\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eFounder of AidMamas, the global community of mothers in the humanitarian and international development sector\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Humanitarian Parent\u003c\/i\u003e is an important contribution for its critique of the organizational culture in the humanitarian sector through a feminist lens and neo-colonial lens. Through its honest and very relatable anecdotes, it is a moving and genuine conversation around the ‘perfect’ humanitarian vis a vis the needs of the affected community, and if appealing to traditional humanitarian archetypes weighs down efforts of fostering genuine progress in the sector.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDr Jessica Hazelwood\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHumanitarian Expert\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book was so much needed! And it is urgent for all of us to read it. Merit describes the struggle of many of us, parents in the humanitarian field, with depth and empathy, with a broad perspective that, while it acknowledges privileges and advantages of many of us, it bring us together on the challenges we face when becoming parents. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVirginia Perez\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eChief of Program, UN. Mother of two \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you work in the humanitarian or development sector, you need to read this book, irrespective of whether you have children or not. Merit Hietanen depicts compellingly the dire need for a more feminist, anti-colonial, and overall more humane working culture and offers insights into getting there.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLiisa Ketolainen\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSpecialist in gender equality and international relations\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Humanitarian Parent\u003c\/i\u003e, the author explores the realities faced by individuals working in the\u003cbr\u003eaid sector, challenging the traditional narrative of a male-dominated field. Drawing on personal\u003cbr\u003eexperiences and research, the book sheds light on the complex dynamics of balancing\u003cbr\u003eprofessional responsibilities with parenthood. It highlights the increasing presence of women\u003cbr\u003eand mothers in the aid sector, while acknowledging the unique challenges they face. The book\u003cbr\u003ealso addresses the lack of support for working mothers and the impact of cultural norms on\u003cbr\u003ewomen’s ability to balance work and family life. Overall, \u003ci\u003eThe Humanitarian Parent\u003c\/i\u003e offers valuable\u003cbr\u003einsights into the intersection of gender, parenthood, and humanitarian work, emphasizing the\u003cbr\u003eimportance of supporting gender equality and family-friendly policies in the workplace.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMays Nawayseh\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHumanitarian Specialist, Mother\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany of us, humanitarians, will recognise bits of our own life on the pages of the Merit’s book \u003ci\u003eThe Humanitarian Parent\u003c\/i\u003e. It will be interesting for humanitarian parents and equally to those who have yet to discover how the humanitarian lifestyle impacts (or often replaces) every single other aspect of human existence. I particularly appreciate the deep dive into the diversity of struggles among the humanitarian workers: not all challenges and people are the same, but all are equally valid. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eYuliya Chykol'ba\u003c\/b\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Humanitarian Mine Action Specialist and co-host of the Ukraine series in the Trumanitarian podcast\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Humanitarian Parent\u003c\/i\u003e has captured an intimate and detailed account of the challenges and impact aid work has on the family life of staff in the sector. It offers a mosaic of complex and contrasting experiences, with numerous observations and arguments that countless people in the field will be able to relate to and commiserate with, as well as insight for those considering a career in aid work – noting that priorities often change over time and the importance of better understanding the consequences of decisions and sacrifices as it reflects across cultures and genders. Through this book I believe Merit Hietanen provides readers with a sense of fellowship within a community that has too often struggled in seclusion when it comes to matters of the family and work balance. I am grateful to Merit for her efforts in articulating with such clarity feelings and conditions I have struggled to frame and understand when weighing career aspirations against my own role as a husband and father.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTeddy Leposky\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eOperations Officer, UNHCR Ukraine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePART I\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe humanitarian workplace and what it does to parents\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1 The work culture in a humanitarian workplace\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 Why is change necessary and how do we get there?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePART II\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the ones thinking about having children\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3 Making a decision about having children\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4 Childless not by choice and how to get out of it\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePART III\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLife of a parent in the aid sector\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5 Mothers who work on national contracts\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e6 LGBTQIA+ parents\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e7 Single mothers\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e8 Trailing spouses or unemployed aid workers\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e9 Fathers\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10 The humanitarian nannies: the dependency of aid parents on domestic staff\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePART IV\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA sector in change: where do we go next?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e11 What have policies given us?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e12 Making humanitarian contexts more compatible with parenthood\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e13 Parental leave: where are we and where should we go?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e14 Office hours and flexible working arrangements: what needs to change?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEpilogue\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taylor \u0026 Francis Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52084467368279,"sku":"9781032294391","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781032294391.jpg?v=1762206466","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-humanitarian-parent-9781032294391","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}