The Politics and Everyday Practice of International Humanitarianism

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Through a combination of detailed case studies of humanitarian emergencies and thematic chapters which cover key concepts, actors and activities, this book explores the work of the largest international humanitarian agencies. Its central argument is that politics play a fundamental role in determining humanitarian needs, practices, and outcomes. In making this argument, the book highlights the many challenges and dilemmas facing humanitarian agencies in the contemporary world. It covers significant ground-temporally, geographically and thematically.

The book is divided into four sections, providing a wide-ranging survey of contemporary international humanitarianism. The first section begins by presenting chapter-length case studies of the international responses to eleven humanitarian emergencies from the 1960s to the present day across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Europe; the second explains key concepts and trends in international humanitarianism; the third discusses how the work of international humanitarian agencies interacts with a range of other actors-including media, celebrities, donors, states, civil society, military forces and armed groups-who have significant impacts on humanitarian response and outcomes; and the fourth turns to the operations and activities undertaken by aid agencies on a daily basis.

Ideally suited as a high-level introduction for students of international humanitarianism, the empirical detail and lucid analysis additionally make The Politics and Everyday Practice of International Humanitarianism an invaluable point of reference for more established scholars.

Miriam Bradley, Associate Professor, Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals

Miriam Bradley is a Senior Lecturer in the Humanitarian & Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) at the University of Manchester. Her research focuses on international responses to conflict, violence and migration, and she is the author of Protecting Civilians in War (OUP, 2016). Prior to joining HCRI, she was an Associate Professor at the Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals, and she has also held research and teaching positions at the Geneva Graduate Institute, University College London, the University of Oxford, and Oxford Brookes University. She has a doctorate in International Relations from the University of Oxford, for which she won the 2012 Winchester Prize.

1. Introduction: Humanitarian Emergencies
Part one: Case studies
Introduction to part one: A Brief History of Modern Humanitarian Action
2. The Nigerian Civil War, 1967-70
3. Drought and Famine in Ethiopia, 1983-85
4. The Bosnian War, 1992-95
5. Genocide in Rwanda and its Aftermath, 1994-96
6. Afghanistan, 2001-14
7. The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
8. Sri Lanka, 2008-09
9. Haiti Earthquake, 2010
10. Famine in Somalia, 2011-12
11. Ebola in West Africa, 2014-15
12. The 2015-16 European “Migrant Crisis”
Part two: Concepts and trends
Introduction to part two: The Boundaries of Humanitarianism
13. Politics, Principles and Humanitarian Action
14. Law and International Humanitarianism
15. Shifting Parameters of Humanitarian Emergencies
16. The Nexus Concept
Part three: Agents and actors
Introduction to part three: Humanitarian Engagement with Other Actors
17. Media and Celebrities
18. Donors and the Funding of Humanitarian Action
19. Government and Civil Society in Affected States
20. Armed actors
Part four: Operations and activities
Introduction to part four: Humanitarian Assistance and Protection
21. Needs Assessment, Evaluation and Response Decisions
22. Material Assistance and Direct Service Provision
23. Dialogue, Negotiation and Advocacy
24. Conclusion: International Humanitarianism after COVID-19