Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Governance of Humanitarian Action in World Politics

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
International Humanitarian Action

Abstract

This chapter introduces a multilevel governance approach to depict the humanitarian system and its actors. This angle of analysis is a suitable way to understand how the current international humanitarian system operates in the context of world politics. After a brief introduction to humanitarian governance and its principles and actors, this chapter explores the international political environment in which humanitarian action takes place. It goes on to discuss the humanitarian architecture, with its different types of actors, based on the conditions that motivate, enable and limit their actions against the aforementioned parameters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. 1.

    Dallaire Ferland, http://blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/2016/05/26/istanbul-dispatch/.

  2. 2.

    Dijkzeul and Lieser (2013).

  3. 3.

    Rosenau and Czempiel (1992).

  4. 4.

    Thakur and Weiss (2009), p. 25.

  5. 5.

    Barnett (2013), p. 379.

  6. 6.

    The increase of norms in international politics is often discussed within the debate on ‘Verrechtlichung’ or judicialisation (cf. Zürn and Zangl 2004).

  7. 7.

    This term is heavily employed in the political debate although its use is problematic with reference to States (instead of individual citizens).

  8. 8.

    Humanity—alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found; Impartiality—deliver assistance on the basis of need, with no discrimination on the basis of race, religion, class, gender or other; Neutrality—not taking sides on political grounds of a conflict; Independence—capacity of holding and publicly expressing views that are different from that of the donor, host State or conflict party.

  9. 9.

    See for instance the ‘The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief’ or the Spehre Project on the ‘Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response’ as the most prominent ones. Many more exist regarding specific issue areas such as for instance gender in humanitarian action.

  10. 10.

    Slim (1997), pp. 244–257.

  11. 11.

    Donini (2010), http://villierspark.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/0061-Donini-2010-Meta-level-humanitarianism.pdf.

  12. 12.

    Pfanner (2007), http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/article/review/review-865-p5.htm.

  13. 13.

    Owen and Strong (2004), p. 33.

  14. 14.

    Swithern et al. (2015), Global Humanitarian Assistance—A Development Initiative, 2015, www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/reports/.

  15. 15.

    Exceptions to this rule can only be made in the case of self-defense or if the UN Security Council defines a situation as a threat to international peace and mandates an international response.

  16. 16.

    One must distinguish international organisations from international institutions, which can be defined as ‘the collective forms or basic structures of social organization as established by law or by human tradition’ such as for example human rights.

  17. 17.

    Karns and Mingst (2004), p. 7.

  18. 18.

    The Trusteeship Council, as the sixth principal UN organ, which was concerned with colonial territories, became defunct following successful de-colonisation.

  19. 19.

    For a short overview of relevant international relations theories see, for instance, Slaughter 2011; for more details on each approach, see Baylis and Smith (2006); for an overview on how the different international relations perspectives play out regarding international organisations, see, for instance, Oestreich (2011).

  20. 20.

    As a reflection of the political reality at the time of its foundation, the UN first excluded the Axis powers Germany, Japan and Italy.

  21. 21.

    China, Russia, France, United Kingdom, United States.

  22. 22.

    Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States; Russia was invited to the head of State meetings of the G7. The enlarged group was then referred to as G8, but Russia was suspended in 2014 with the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine and the Russian annexation of Crimea.

  23. 23.

    Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

  24. 24.

    Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa.

  25. 25.

    Zyck (2013).

  26. 26.

    According to Pries, the transnationalisation dynamic stands for ‘different forms re-arrangements geographical-social spaces beyond, alongside and above the formerly dominant national society paradigm’ (Pries 2008).

  27. 27.

    Karns and Mingst (2004), p. 12.

  28. 28.

    For an overview see, for instance DeMars and Dijkzeul; Keck and Sikkink (1998).

  29. 29.

    For further discussion see, for instance Robinson (2015), pp. 254–266.

  30. 30.

    UNGAA/RES/46/182: 1991.

  31. 31.

    For further discussion, see for instance Heintze (2015), pp. 149–167.

  32. 32.

    Geneva Call is an NGO that engages armed non-State actors towards respect of international humanitarian norms, in particular those related to the protection of civilians in armed conflict (see: http://www.genevacall.org/).

  33. 33.

    According to the Aid Worker Security Report 2012, attacks on aid workers are most prevalent in fragile and unstable States as well as in armed conflicts (cf. Stoddard et al. 2012).

  34. 34.

    Harvey.

  35. 35.

    Swithern et al. (2015), in: GHA 2015, p. 49, www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/reports/.

  36. 36.

    All numbers taken from the Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2015, pages 49ff. When the most acute phase of emergencies is over, development funding may step in to provide for long-term support in reconstruction and rebuilding of society. For an overview on funding determinants, see for instance: Fink and Redaelli (2011); Fink and Redaelli (2011), pp. 741–757.

  37. 37.

    ‘94% of reported international humanitarian assistance from governments over the last decade and 90% (US$16.8 billion) in 2014’ (GHA-Report, 2015, p. 30).

  38. 38.

    GHA 2015, pp. 2, 30, www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/reports/.

  39. 39.

    Binder and Meier (2011).

  40. 40.

    GHA 2015, p. 42, www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/reports/.

  41. 41.

    Id., p. 3.

  42. 42.

    The name was shortened in 1953 but the acronym was retained.

  43. 43.

    When dealing with humanitarian affairs, UN organisations also cooperate with the International Organization for Migration.

  44. 44.

    For an overview on the development of international humanitarian coordination, see for instance Aderhold (2015), pp. 207–219.

  45. 45.

    Zyck and Krebs (2013).

  46. 46.

    For instance, in the case of Myanmar in 2008, international humanitarian interventions were partly rejected by the government, while regional offers of assistance were mostly accepted.

  47. 47.

    Moran (2010).

  48. 48.

    There are many approaches to categorising humanitarian actors, for instance according to the type of actor, differentiating between traditional and non-traditional actors according to Labbé (2012), http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CEwQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.operationspaix.net%2FDATA%2FDOCUMENT%2F7549~v~Rethinking_Humanitarianism__Adapting_to_21st_Century_Challenges.pdf&ei=Qj9mVKG3IcSsPa3pgMgP&usg=AFQjCNGggkqEYW_giQ2UiR9K1MssqjSfuA&bvm=bv.79142246,d.ZWU.

  49. 49.

    Slim (1997).

  50. 50.

    Dijkzeul and Reinhardt (2013), pp. 77–105.

  51. 51.

    The term ‘Dunantist’ relates to Henry Dunant, the Swiss noble man, who gave birth to the idea of modern humanitarianism with his eye-opening account of the suffering of soldiers in the battle of Solferino in 1859 (Henry Dunant, ‘A Memory of Solferino’). The term ‘Wilsonian’ refers to the foreign aid policy of President Woodrow Wilsons.

  52. 52.

    Walker and Maxwell (2009).

  53. 53.

    Harrell-Bond (1986).

  54. 54.

    Barnett (2005) (723–740), p. 22.

  55. 55.

    Id., pp. 380ff. While underlining the similarities of global governance and humanitarian governance, Barnett advocates for widening the scope of research on humanitarian affairs to further understand how humanitarianism works.

  56. 56.

    Ibid.

  57. 57.

    Kaldor (2006).

  58. 58.

    Müller (2013), pp. 147–157.

  59. 59.

    Barnett (2012), p. 487.

  60. 60.

    Cf. Weiss (1999).

  61. 61.

    Cf. Audet, pp. 141–52 (147).

  62. 62.

    Donini (2012).

References

  • Aderhold E (2015) International coordination of humanitarian assistance. In: Heintze H-J, Thielbörger P (eds) From Cold War to cyber war: the evolution of the international law of peace and armed conflict over the last 25 years, pp 207–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Audet F. Humanitarian space. In: Mac Ginty R, Peterson JH (eds) Routledge companion to humanitarian action. Routledge companions, pp 141–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett M (2005) Humanitarianism transformed. Perspect Polit 3(4):723–740

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett MN (2012) International paternalism and humanitarian governance. Global Constitutionalism 1(3):485–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett MN (2013) Humanitarian governance. Annu Rev Polit Sci 16(1):379–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baylis J, Smith S (eds) (2006) The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations, 6th edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Google Scholar 

  • Binder A, Meier C (2011) Opportunity knocks: why non-Western donors enter humanitarianism and how to make the best of it. Int Rev Red Cross 93(884):1135–1149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dallaire Ferland R. Istanbul dispatch: a first look back at the World Humanitarian Summit - Humanitarian Law & Policy. http://blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/2016/05/26/istanbul-dispatch/

    Google Scholar 

  • DeMars WE, Dijkzeul D. The NGO challenge for international relations theory. Global Institution 92

    Google Scholar 

  • Dijkzeul D, Lieser J (eds) (2013) Handbuch Humanitäre Hilfe. Springer, Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Dijkzeul D, Reinhardt D (2013) Das internationale humanitäre System und seine Akteure. In: Dijkzeul D, Lieser J (eds) Handbuch Humanitäre Hilfe. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 77–105

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Donini A (2010) The far side: the meta functions of humanitarianism in a globalised world. Disasters 34(Suppl 2):S220–S237. http://villierspark.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/0061-Donini-2010-Meta-level-humanitarianism.pdf

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donini A (2012) The golden fleece: manipulation and independence in humanitarian action, 1st edn. Kumarian Press, Sterling

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunant H. A Memory of Solferino

    Google Scholar 

  • Fink G, Redaelli S (2011) Determinants of international emergency aid – humanitarian need only? World Dev 39(5):741–757

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrell-Bond BE (1986) Imposing aid: emergency assistance to refugees. Oxford medical publications. Oxford University Press, Oxford [Oxfordshire], New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey P. Towards good humanitarian government: the role of the affected state in disaster response - HPG Policy Briefs 37

    Google Scholar 

  • Heintze H-J (2015) Access to victims and humanitarian assistance. In: Heintze H-J, Thielbörger P (eds) From Cold War to cyber war: the evolution of the international law of peace and armed conflict over the last 25 years, pp 149–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaldor M (2006) New & old wars, 2nd edn. Stanford University Press, Stanford

    Google Scholar 

  • Karns MP, Mingst KA (2004) International organizations: the politics and processes of global governance. Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder

    Google Scholar 

  • Keck ME, Sikkink K (1998) Activists beyond borders: advocacy networks in international politics. Cornell University Press, Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • Labbé J (2012) Rethinking humanitarianism: adapting to 21st century challenges. http://www.operationspaix.net/DATA/DOCUMENT/7549~v~Rethinking_Humanitarianism__Adapting_to_21st_Century_Challenges.pdf

  • Moran MH (2010) Gender, militarism, and peace-building: projects of the postconflict moment. Annu Rev Anthropol 39(1):261–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller O (2013) Almosenempfänger oder selbstbewusste Akteure? Die Rolle der lokalen Partner. In: Dijkzeul D, Lieser J (eds) Handbuch Humanitäre Hilfe. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 147–157

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Oestreich JE (2011) Intergovernmental organisations in international relations theory and as actors in world politics. In: Reinalda B (ed) The Ashgate research companion to non-state actors. Ashgate research companion. Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey, England, Burlington, VT

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen D, Strong TB (eds) (2004) The vocation lectures. Hackett, Indianapolis

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfanner T. Editorial - IRRC March 2007 No 865. http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/article/review/review-865-p5.htm

  • Pries L (2008) Die Transnationalisierung der sozialen Welt: Sozialräume jenseits von Nationalgesellschaften. 1. Aufl. Edition Suhrkamp 2521. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson P (2015) News media and communication technology. In: Mac Ginty R, Peterson JH (eds) Routledge companion to humanitarian action. Routledge companions, pp 254–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenau JN, Czempiel EO (1992) Governance without government: order and change in world politics. Cambridge Studies in International Relations 20. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge [England], New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Slim H (1997) Doing the right thing: relief agencies, moral dilemmas and moral responsibility in political emergemcies and war. Disasters 21(3):244–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoddard A, Harmer A, Hughes M (2012) Aid Worker Security Report 2012: host states and their impact on security for humanitarian operations, Humanitarian Outcomes, December

    Google Scholar 

  • Swithern S et al (2015) Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2015: Executive-summary. Global Humanitarian Assistance Report

    Google Scholar 

  • Swithern S et al Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2015. http://www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org

  • Thakur R, Weiss TG (2009) R2P: from idea to norm—and action? Global Responsibility to Protect 1(1):22–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker P, Maxwell DG (2009) Shaping the humanitarian world. Routledge global institutions. Routledge, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss T (1999) Principles, politics and humanitarian action. Ethics Int Aff 13

    Google Scholar 

  • Zürn M, Zangl B (2004) Verrechtlichung: Baustein für Global Governance? Eine Welt Bd. 18. Dietz; Stiftung Entwicklung und Frieden, Bonn

    Google Scholar 

  • Zyck SA (2013) Regional organisations and humanitarian action: November 2013. HPG Working Paper, Overseas Development Institute, Humanitarian Policy Group

    Google Scholar 

  • Zyck SA, Krebs HB (2013) Localising humanitarianism: improving effectiveness through inclusive action - HPG Commissioned Reports - Briefing papers, November

    Google Scholar 

Further Reading

  • Baylis J, Smith S (eds) (2006) The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations, 6th edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Google Scholar 

  • DeMars WE, Dijkzeul D. The NGO challenge for international relations theory. Global institutions 92

    Google Scholar 

  • Donini A (2012) The golden fleece: manipulation and independence in humanitarian action, 1st edn. Kumarian Press, Sterling

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunant H. A Memory of Solferino

    Google Scholar 

  • Fink G, Redaelli S (2011) Determinants of international emergency aid humanitarian need only? World Dev 39(5):741–757

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrell-Bond BE (1986) Imposing aid: emergency assistance to refugees. Oxford medical publications. Oxford University Press, Oxford [Oxfordshire], New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Heintze H-J, Thielbörger P (eds) From Cold War to cyber war: the evolution of the international law of peace and armed conflict over the last 25 years

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaldor M (2006) New & old wars, 2nd edn. Stanford University Press, Stanford

    Google Scholar 

  • Karns MP (2004) International organizations: the politics and processes of global governance. Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/53848373

    Google Scholar 

  • Karns MP, Mingst KA (2004) International organizations: the politics and processes of global governance. Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder

    Google Scholar 

  • Keck ME, Sikkink K (1998) Activists beyond borders: advocacy networks in international politics. Cornell University Press, Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • Mac Ginty R, Peterson JH (eds) (2016) Routledge companion to humanitarian action. Routledge companions

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinalda B (ed) (2011) The Ashgate research companion to non-state actors. Ashgate research companion. Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey, England, Burlington, VT

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenau JN, Czempiel EO (1992) Governance without government: order and change in world politics. Cambridge studies in International Relations 20. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge [England], New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Slim H (1997) Doing the right thing: relief agencies, moral dilemmas and moral responsibility in political emergencies and war. Disasters 21(3):244–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss T. Principles, politics and humanitarian action

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker P, Maxwell DG (2009) Shaping the humanitarian world. Routledge global institutions. Routledge, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    Uwe Andersen & Katharina Behmer

Authors
  1. Uwe Andersen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Katharina Behmer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katharina Behmer .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    Hans-Joachim Heintze

  2. Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    Pierre Thielbörger

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Andersen, U., Behmer, K. (2018). The Governance of Humanitarian Action in World Politics. In: Heintze, HJ., Thielbörger, P. (eds) International Humanitarian Action. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14454-2_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14454-2_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-14453-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-14454-2

  • eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation