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Showing posts from January, 2025

Handbook on Humanitarianism and Inequality - Chapter 09 - Faith actors in humanitarianism: dynamics and inequalities

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Every two weeks I am going to feature one of the chapters of our Handbook on Humanitarianism and Inequality which was published in spring 2024. This week we are taking a closer look at Chapter 09 - Faith actors in humanitarianism: dynamics and inequalities - contributed by Olivia Wilkinson and Jennifer Philippa Eggert. From the introduction Wider debates on humanitarianism tend to overlook or underestimate the role of religion ( Wilkinson, 2019 ), and discussions of inequalities and humanitarian work often do not include questions of religion ( Allouche et al., 2020 ). Analyses of how religions and religious dynamics create new or shape and reinforce existing inequalities in humanitarian contexts are rare. This is the case despite the important role religions play in the everyday lives of many, if not most, people in humanitarian settings ( Hackett and Grim, 2012 ). Yet in the last 15 years or so, there has been a renewed interest in religious beliefs and practices in humanitarian sp...

Handbook on Humanitarianism and Inequality - Chapter 08 - Humanitarian organisations: behemoths and butterflies

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Every two weeks I am going to feature one of the chapters of our Handbook on Humanitarianism and Inequality which was published in spring 2024. This week we are taking a closer look at Chapter 08 - Humanitarian organisations: behemoths and butterflies - contributed by Sarah S. Stroup. From the introduction One of the fascinating and sometimes frustrating aspects of international humanitarian response is that anyone can do it. According to the Good Humanitarian Donorship Initiative, humanitarian action seeks to ‘save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity during and in the aftermath of man-made crises and natural disasters, as well as to prevent and strengthen preparedness for the occurrence of such situations’ ( GHD, no date ). This emphasis on behavior (‘humanitarian action’) highlights that the humanitarian response comes from corporations, relief, and development NGOs, Western governments, Red Cross agencies, local religious groups, and many others ( Barnett, 2011 ...