"We have long awaited The Humanitarian Machine. Here it is with all the misgivings, dilemmas, contradictions and rewards that such lives consist of. Read and cherish these experiences because they reflect a truth and humanity that screams from the pages." – Phil O’Keefe, Professor, Northumbria University, UK."Experienced humanitarians give vivid personal accounts of how they became involved, the challenges they face in their work and the lessons to be learned, with fascinating insights and clear messages from field experience worldwide. Ask people before assisting them, try to redress imbalances of power, high level humanitarian power brokers and local populations have different perspectives and priorities which humanitarians need to help bridge. Be aware that there is more than one narrative when organising responses or carrying out evaluations. Fragile contexts require flexibility to co-create resilience pathways. Use established standards of good practice, but mindful of context. Whilst current thinking espouses more egalitarian relationships the fund holders exercise the power. Good humanitarian practice understands these lessons and recognises the inevitable tensions need be managed. This book not only provides the lessons, above all, it encourages us to tackle the flaws in the humanitarian machine. This is a must read for humanitarians." – Emeritus Professor Barry Munslow, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK "Humanitarianism—as an ideology, practice, and industry—is too often shrouded in mythologies of heroism and selfless sacrifice. The grounded, self-critical reflections from humanitarian practitioners in this volume demystify humanitarian practice, probing its tensions and dilemmas together with its successes and failures. A valuable resource!" – Alain Epp Weaver, director of strategic planning, Mennonite Central Committee
