Humanitarians on the Frontier

Identity and Access Along the Borders of Power

Häftad, Engelska, 2023

AvAlasdair Gordon-Gibson

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The book examines the reasons behind accusations of dysfunctional humanitarian identities and the loss of space for impartial action. Through a combination of practical examples in case studies from the field with a theoretical and philosophical approach to questions of voluntary service, community and identity, it reconsiders the exceptional discourse that constructs these identities and drives humanitarian response in environments of complex emergency. By recognizing both the strength and the limits of its social and political agency, the study presents opportunities for the construction of a less exceptional space, or ‘niche’ within the humanitarian sector, where the politics is around one of an ordinary humanitarian society instead of an ordered humanitarian system.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2023-08-15
Mått153 x 230 x 19 mm
Vikt386 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor242
FörlagBloomsbury Publishing Plc
ISBN9781538151051

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IntroductionChapter 1. Humanitarian RelationsChapter 2. Voluntary Service: Its Place in the Social FabricChapter 3. Evolving Expressions of Humanitarian SpaceChapter 4. The Social Identity of the NicheChapter 5. Risks and OpportunitiesChapter 6. The Spirit of Humanity: A Universal AppealChapter 7. Case StudiesChapter 8. Re-Harbouring the HumanitariansChapter 9. Changing the Social OrderBibliography

This dense and intriguing book brings together philosophy, IR and reflections on humanitarian practice in a novel manner. It is concerned with the exploration of identity markers and patterns of engagement – with a particular focus on volunteering as a cornerstone of humanitarian identities. It is grounded in wide ranging readings and does not shy away from tackling the most complex concepts. It builds on theories of identity and trust to establish notions of social identity relevant to humanitarian work, communal trust. While largely theoretical in tone and in its sources, it does not shy away from looking into the historical defining of humanitarian concepts in the 1960s and from exploring these concepts in action through early 2000s field experiences. This makes this book an original and brave voice in a field which needs more bridges between theory and praxis. I for one found it a stimulating and engaging read worth coming back to.