Humanitarianism and Human Rights: Power, Paradigms, Protection

3 units

This course charts the twin development of Western humanitarianism and human rights, with a particular focus on aid and protection as forms of European and US imperialism. Each week, we will focus on one particular set of actors in the humanitarian field each week: representatives of states, international organizations, NGOs, philanthropists, emergency workers, legal experts, reporters, and not least the affected communities themselves. We will conclude with a discussion of how the complicated history of Western humanitarianism frames our understanding of more recent humanitarian emergencies, such as the European refugee crisis of 2015.