Unit information: The Politics of Humanitarian Aid in 2014/15

Unit name	The Politics of Humanitarian Aid
Unit code	SPAIM0045
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Tom Scott-Smith
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit examines humanitarian action from its origins to the present day, considering how humanitarianism has been defined, how humanitarian agencies operate, and assessing some of the consequences of humanitarian aid. By drawing on detailed case studies, the unit aims to:

Introduce students to the main institutions and practices involved in humanitarian action,

• Give students an appreciation of humanitarianism’s core political and ethical dilemmas,
• Familiarise students with key critical perspectives in understanding humanitarianism
• Build awareness of the politics surrounding four of the largest humanitarian interventions from the past fifty years.

The unit is split into three main sections. The first looks at the emergence of humanitarianism: examining the origins of the Red Cross movement, its articulation of ‘classical’ operating principles, and the great revolution in humanitarian action in the early 1970s, in which the French organisation Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF) was founded in a split from the Red Cross. The second section look at a series of contemporary political issues, drawing on prominent case studies such as the Ethiopian famine of the early 1980s, the Great Lakes crisis of 1994-6, and the late-1990 war over Kosovo. The final section of the course examines contemporary scholarly debates about humanitarianism, including its relationship with neoliberalism and global governance.

Intended Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate understanding of the ethical and political principles that underpin humanitarian action
• Critically engage with the core debates surrounding the desirability and viability of these principles
• Critically assess the key political issues surrounding humanitarian interventions, including the role of the media, the role of military actors, and the contribution of humanitarianism to the war economy
• Evaluate the negative and positive aspects of humanitarian aid in at least one large intervention from the last sixty years

Teaching Information

Ten 2-hour seminars, combining lecture, student presentation, film, and discussion

Assessment Information

Formative assessment: Seminar presentation

Summative assessment: 4000 word essay (assess all learning outcomes)

Reading and References

Barnett, M. (2011) Empire of humanity: a history of humanitarianism, Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

Berman, P. (2007) Power and the idealists: or, The passion of Joschka Fischer, and its aftermath, New York: Norton. pp. 193-227.

De Waal, A. (1997) Famine crimes: politics and the disaster relief industry in Africa, Oxford: James Currey.

Moeller, S. (1999) Compassion fatigue: how the media sell disease, famine, war, and death, London: Routledge.

Redfield, P. (2013) Life in Crisis: the ethical journey of doctors without borders. University of California Press.

Rieff, D. (2002) A bed for the night: humanitarianism in crisis, London: Vintage.

Terry, F. (2002) Condemned to repeat? The paradox of humanitarian action, London: Cornell University Press.

Vaux, T. (2001) The selfish altruist: relief work in famine and war, London: Earthscan.