The Politicisation of Humanitarian Aid: Reason for or Response to Crisis?

Abstract

How does the politicization of humanitarian aid relate to the current state of crisis of humanitarian assistance? Is it the reason for this crisis, or rather a response to it? Emergency relief oftentimes does not reach people in great need after natural disasters or in armed conflict. Affected states might be unable to assist their population and reject international help. International humanitarian actors might have only restricted access to the affected regions. If they get access, their work creates dilemmas so that there might be undesirable outcomes, such as escalating the conflict or prolonging the suffering. Humanitarian actors also risk being kidnapped or killed. The politicization of humanitarian aid is a reaction to this crisis as much as it could be a reason for it. As is only hardly concealed, humanitarian aid can be an instrument of states to achieve foreign policy goals, both for those who give and for those who receive this aid. Some non-state humanitarian organizations deliberately politicize their work as a response to the dilemmas they face. We are interested in mapping the different and yet unexplored ways in which humanitarian assistance is politicized, is being perceived as political by different stakeholders and has (unintended) political consequences. From this background, we invite empirical and conceptual contributions dealing with the following questions: • In what ways and by whom is humanitarian assistance politicized? In this regard, are there any differences between humanitarian aid offered by states and non-state organizations or between humanitarian assistance in the context of natural disasters or armed conflict? Is politicization used as an accusation of others towards humanitarian actors (external politicization) or rather as a strategy by humanitarian actors themselves (internal politicization)? • Why do humanitarian actors politicize their work? To what extent and why are they being perceived as political? • What consequences does the strategic decision to politicize their work have for humanitarian organizations? Are there any barriers imposed on humanitarians because they are perceived as being political? • How do humanitarians react to the politicization of their work? What about frictions within the humanitarian community due to the politicization? Are there any strategies of depoliticization? Papers (tentative selection): UK-Government relations to humanitarian actors (tbc) Birthe Anders, King’s College London The Eritrean Model of Self Reliance. Perceiving Humanitarian Aid as political, western influenced and therefore unwanted Sascha Kienzle, Munich School of Political Science/Universität der Bundeswehr München Modes of Politicization and De-Politicization of Humanitarian Aid Dieter Reinhardt, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Development and Peace

Title	Details
Modes of Politicisation and De-Politicisation of Humanitarian Aid, an Assessment of the UN Humanitarian Structures	View Paper Details
Politicisation and Militarisation of Humanitarian Aid in the UK and Germany: Fact or Fiction?	View Paper Details
Why is Humanitarian Aid Rejected? Comparing the Motives of Democratic and Autocratic States	View Paper Details
North Korea: Politicising Humanitarian Aid Dynamics	View Paper Details