In the ongoing crisis in Syria the politics of humanitarianism play a central role, providing a lens and a vocabulary through which many understand the conflict, designate its protagonists and argue for specific forms of international intervention. Humanitarian aid is frequently presented as an apolitical form of action addressed to specific categories of victim and in opposition to military aid. In this dialogue Simon Jackson will historicize current events by discussing a previous case of humanitarian relief in greater Syria at the close of World War One. Focusing on the brokering of food relief, Jackson will argue that such case studies show that we need to pay close attention to how humanitarian action is framed and practiced, and how it nests within wider politics.
Thank you to students in the Humanitarian Politics in Syria committee:
Ragini Bali, Sakshi Bhoolabhai, Qian (Jesse) Cao, Courtney Casatuta, Nicole D’Alessio, Jia Gao, Christina Gay, Sydney Hynes, Utpala Menon, Shradha Shetty, Blair Simmons, Jon Stone, Terrance,Tan Wei Ting, Wenqi Yu |
