Abstract
Relief in war zones provides a metaphor for the post-Cold War era, which is part of its complexity. It signals and reflects some of the most profound historical changes of our time. Although often associated with Africa or the Balkans, the modus operandi of war relief also reflects the essence of social change within industrialized countries. External humanitarian aid is similarly concerned with the changing role of governments and the increasing importance of subcontracting public functions to private or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). In many respects, the present international relief system is a projection of the way in which the West is attempting to solve its own internal problems. In both cases, the focus of public policy has shifted from attempting to manage growth and redistribution to trying to contain the effects of poverty and social exclusion.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
UNDP, Human Development Report 1996 (New York: Oxford University Press for the United Nations Development Programme, 1996).
L. Thurow, Head to Head: The Coming Economic Battle Among Japan, Europe and America (New York: William Morrow, 1992).
S. Sideri, ‘Restructuring the post-Cold War world economy: perspectives and prognosis’, Development and Change, 24 (1), 1993, pp. 7–27.
P. Hirst and G. Thompson, Globalization in Question (Cambridge: Polity Press, 1996).
A. D. Smith, ‘The ethnic sources of nationalism’, Survival, 35 (1), 1993, pp. 48–62.
W. Reno, ‘Reinvention of an African patrimonial state: Charles Taylor’s Liberia’, Third World Quarterly, 16 (1), 1995, pp. 109–20.
F. J. Schuurman, ‘Introduction: development theory in the 1990s’, in F. J. Schuurman (ed.) Beyond the Impasse (London: Zed Books, 1993), pp. 1–48.
M. Duffield, ‘Symphony of the damned: racial discourse, complex political emergencies and humanitarian aid’, Disasters, 20 (3), 1996, pp. 173–93.
R. Poulton and M. Harris, Putting People First: Voluntary Organizations and Third World Organizations (London: Macmillan, 1988).
J. Clark, Democratizing Development: The Role of Voluntary Organizations (London: Earthscan, 1991).
M. Buchanan-Smith and S. Maxwell, ‘Linking relief and development: an introduction and overview’, Institute of Development Studies Bulletin, 25 (4), 1994, pp. 2–16.
UNHCR, The State of the World’s Refugees 1995: In Search of Solutions (Oxford: Oxford University Press for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, 1995), p. 20.
A. Shacknove, Asylum-Seekers in Affluent States, paper presented at the Conference on ‘People of Concern’ (Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 21–4 November 1996).
A. Karim, M. Duffield, S. Jaspars, A. Benini, J. Macrae, M. Bradbury, D. Johnson and G. Larbi, Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS): A Review (Geneva: Department of Humanitarian Affairs, 1996).
M. Duffield, Complex Political Emergencies: An Exploratory Report for UNICEF with Reference to Angola and Bosnia (New York: United Nations Children’s Fund, March 1994).
M. Duffield and J. Prendergast, Without Troops or Tanks: Humanitarian Intervention in Eritrea and Ethiopia (Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press/Red Sea Press, 1994).
D. C. Korten, Getting to the 21st Century: Voluntary Action and the Global Agenda (West Hartford, Conn.: Kumarian Press, 1990).
D. Keen and K. Wilson, ‘Engaging with violence: a reassessment of the role of relief in wartime’, in J. Macrae and A. Zwi (eds), War and Hunger: Rethinking International Responses to Complex Emergencies (London: Zed Books, 1994), pp. 209–22.
E. Voutira and S. A. Whishaw Brown, Conflict Resolution: A Review of Some Non-Government Practices — A Cautionary Tale (Oxford: Refugee Studies Programme, Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University, 1995).
M. Goulding, ‘The evolution of United Nations Peacekeeping’, International Affairs, 69 (3), 1993, pp. 451–64.
B. Boutros-Ghali, An Agenda For Peace: Preventive Diplomacy, Peacemaking and Peace-Keeping, June 1992, in An Agenda for Peace: 1995 (New York: United Nations, 1995), pp. 39–72.
D. Keen, Rationing the Right to Life: The Crisis in Refugee Relief (Oxford: Refugee Studies Programme, 1993).
F. Jean, (ed.), Life, Death and Aid: The Médecins Sans Frontières Report on World Crisis Intervention (London: Routledge, 1993).
H. Slim, ‘Military humanitarianism and the new peacekeeping: an agenda for peace?’, Institute of Development Studies Bulletin, 27 (3), 1996, pp. 64–72.
UNHCR, Concept Paper: Humanitarian Emergencies and Refugees Informal Consultation on Service Packages (Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, April 1995), p. 1.
See also T. G. Weiss and A. Pasic, ‘Reinventing UNHCR: enterprising humanitarians in the former Yugoslavia, 1991–1995’, Global Governance, 3 (1), 1997, pp. 41–57.
IFRCS, World Disasters Report: 1995 (Geneva: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 1995).
Karim et al., Operation Lifeline Sudan; M. Duffield, H. Young, J. Ryle and I. Henderson, Sudan Emergency Operations Consortium (SEOC): A Review (London: CAFOD, 1995); Duffield, Complex Political Emergencies.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1998 Third World Quarterly and Academic Council on the United Nations System
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Duffield, M. (1998). NGO Relief in War Zones: Toward an Analysis of the New Aid Paradigm. In: Weiss, T.G. (eds) Beyond UN Subcontracting. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-26263-2_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-26263-2_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-333-72508-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-26263-2
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)