Disaster and Humanitarian Aid

This subject explores emergency relief in crisis situations, including both ‘natural’ disasters and armed conflict (or combinations thereof). We will discuss the dynamics of different kinds of disasters, such as droughts, earthquakes, floods, cyclones, armed conflict and displacement, as well as ‘complex emergencies’ where ‘natural’ disasters intermesh with man-made dynamics. Central to ‘natural’ and man-made disasters is the question of vulnerability and resilience: contrary to what international media images tend to suggest, the first response to disaster is always local, and the resilience of the people affected is determining for longer-term outcomes. But international responses can of course play a major role. The subject will therefore explore: international humanitarian principles, policies, and guidelines; the everyday life of humanitarian work; and the challenges and dilemmas of humanitarian aid: how it gets entangled with local political economies; how it gets embroiled in dynamics of conflict; and how it can in fact become part of the problem. We will also examine differences and interlinkages between humanitarian and development interventions, as well as the supposed humanitarian-development ‘continuum’ – the idea that humanitarianism is something that occurs in times of crisis, and that this then gives way to development once the situation is back to ‘normal’. As we will see, disasters are not at all exceptional. They are a normal part of human life; and with the impact of development and climate change, human exposure to disasters is only increasing. Instead of thinking of disasters as unique and exceptional events, shouldn't we be thinking about ‘living with risk’? And, if so, how can that be done?