Politics of Humanitarian Action

Catalog description

This course introduces students to complex humanitarian crises and the challenges of responding. Students explore why the often-troubled governance practices of humanitarian intervention makes this a highly contested, yet indispensable arena of global politics. The course examines enduring political and normative tensions at the core of the international humanitarian system run by states, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the United Nations and its lead agencies, and increasingly, the private sector. Students use critical theories, ethical frameworks, and other skill sets to explore questions such as the accountability of humanitarian actors to the people they aid in risk-laden operational environments.