Talking Humanitarianism

How can we best provide education to children and young people displaced by conflict and natural disasters around the world? In what ways can education be tailored to meet unique needs? How can educational approaches be adapted to foster resilience?  In this episode, Dr. Ritesh Shah (Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland) joins Işınsu Acar for a thought-provoking conversation on the emergence of the education in emergencies community. Employing an interdisciplinary and critical lens to analyse prevailing norms and key players orchestrating educational response, Dr. Shah discusses alternative epistemologies and ontologies that disrupt mainstream discourses and practices reproducing ‘Othering’. The episode also takes a look behind the scenes of curriculum design and reform in peace education, providing a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in striking a delicate balance between immediate needs and sustainable, long-term solutions. The discussion concludes with an emphasis on the principles of independence, inclusivity and accountability as pathways to building a resilient and inclusive educational landscape. Find more resources on this topic on our website here.

Localisation of humanitarian action calls for better inclusion of local actors and affected populations in all phases of the humanitarian response. In this episode, Arbie Baguios, a researcher and the founder of Aid Re-imagined shares his insights on the challenges and ethics associated with the localisation agenda. This is the second in a two-part series on this topic. Listen to the first part here. The discussion is part of a series on ethics in humanitarian action initiated by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies (NCHS), in collaboration with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) and the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC). It relates to the project Red Lines and Grey Zones: Exploring the Ethics of Humanitarian Negotiations, led by Kristoffer Lidén.

Since the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, localisation, in the form of engaging or empowering local responders to deliver humanitarian assistance, has been firmly on the agenda. To gain a better understanding of the challenges and ethics of localisation, this discussion explores the dynamics that unfold between local and international actors of humanitarian response. Can humanitarian action remain impartial and neutral when it is localised? Is localisation primarily a moral issue or a political or economic one? How ethically do international donor governments and international humanitarian organisations behave in their relationships with local partner organisations and communities? Held in September 2023, this is the first in a two-part series on this topic. The speakers involved in the discussion are Kristina Roepstorff (Peace Research Institute Oslo, PRIO), John Ede (Ohaha Family Foundation), Sulagna Maitra (University College Dublin) and Ed Schenkenberg (HERE-Geneva). The roundtable was organised by Kristoffer Lidén (PRIO) and Dennis Dijkzeul (Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict, IFHV). This discussion is part of a series on the ethics of humanitarian action initiated by PRIO and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies in collaboration with IFHV and the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict. It relates to the project Red Lines and Grey Zones: Exploring the Ethics of Humanitarian Negotiations, led by Kristoffer Lidén at PRIO.

Please be aware this episode discusses the topics of suicide and sexual abuse. Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesvos has come to symbolise the failure of modern European refugee policy. After the notorious camp burned to the ground in September 2020, a new and supposedly safer and temporary camp was built to house refugees seeking asylum in Europe. Three years on, how is life in the ‘new Moria’? In this episode, Heidi Mogstad talks to psychologist for Doctors Without Borders, Katrin Glatz Brubakk, about her recent mission to Lesvos and impressions from assisting children and adults in the so-called Moria 2.0. Katrin describes the increasing isolation and surveillance experienced by people living in the camp and examines the gendered harms and short- and long-term psychological impact of being contained, constantly on alert and feeling unwanted. Together Heidi and Katrin also discuss the increasing criminalisation of humanitarian work, European exceptionalism and humanitarian racism. Katrin Glatz Brubakk is a child psychologist specialising in trauma and Assistant Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Katrin is an experienced field worker with Doctors Without Borders, where she has worked with refugees in Greece and Egypt. Katrin teaches externally about experiences of working in the field, mental health in refugee populations, cultural differences in psychological work and trauma-based care. Together with journalist and author Guro Kulset Mekerås, Katrin has written the book Moria 2015-2022: Inside Europe's largest refugee camp (Press, 2023). Heidi Mogstad is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Bergen, Norway, where her research explores people’s lived experiences and contestations of border policies, humanitarianism and war. Heidi has a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Cambridge. Her doctoral fieldwork followed a Norwegian volunteer organisation's humanitarian and political work at home and abroad in Moria and other refugee camps in Greece for 18 months. Her forthcoming book builds on this research and is titled Humanitarian Shame and Redemption: Norwegian Citizens Helping Refugees in Greece (Berghahn Books 2023).

Reflections from outgoing Permanent Representative of the IFRC to the African Union, Mr. Itonde Kakoma, in conversation with Dr. Salla Turunen, International Relations specialist. In this episode Dr. Salla Turunen and Itonde Kakoma reflect on how the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is situated within the humanitarian landscape, particularly with regards to humanitarian diplomacy. They also discuss multilateral engagement in the context of the establishment of the new African Humanitarian Agency and what this means for the future of humanitarian diplomacy. As Itonde prepares to leave his role with the IFRC and take up the presidency of Interpeace, their conversation then explores the synergies and differences between humanitarian diplomacy and peace diplomacy and mediation. Itonde Kakoma is a highly experienced practitioner in peace mediation, conflict resolution and humanitarian diplomacy. At the time of recording in September 2023, Itonde was the outgoing Permanent Representative of the IFRC to the African Union and International Organisations, where he also served as the focal point and coordinator for global humanitarian diplomacy at IFRC. From 2 October 2023, Itonde took up the role of President at Interpeace. Prior to the IFRC he has also had roles with CMI — Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, including as its Director for Global Strategy, and with The Carter Center in its Conflict Resolution Program. Dr. Salla Turunen is an International Relations specialist with a combined practitioner and researcher background with the United Nations. As social science researcher, Salla has published a number of articles on humanitarian diplomacy, which have been widely accessed across scholarly, practitioner and policy audiences. Currently, she is the Manager at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) at its Centre for Women, Peace and Security, and the UKRI GCRF Gender, Justice and Security Hub.

In this episode, Amali Tower, Executive Director and Founder of Climate Refugees, delivers her keynote address titled ‘Living in a changing climate: Dynamics of forced migration and displacement’ to open the NCHS Humanitarian Futures conference held in Oslo on 7 June 2023. In her address, Amali provides a landscape view of forced displacement today and the role climate change plays in driving migration and displacement. She discusses how and where climate in some of the world's poorest places intersects with underlying vulnerabilities to increase climate-driven displacement and leads to loss and damage for frontline communities. Amali provides case study examples to demonstrate why solutions require a climate justice approach to support populations disproportionately at-risk. The “Climate Change is Controlling Everything, Let Them Compensate Us”: Stories of Loss and Damage in Kenya report by Climate Refugees is based on site visits conducted by Amali in 10 distinct locations in the Great Rift Valley late last year as well as discussions with nearly 100 affected people. Prolonged drought and major flooding of lakes are causing displacement, human rights losses, and development setbacks for some of Kenya’s most marginalised and climate-vulnerable communities, who are often overlooked by existing policies, funding arrangements, and humanitarian interventions.

In this episode, humanitarian practitioner and researcher Simon Robins joins Işınsu Acar for a conversation on the shortcomings, boundaries, trends and evolution in the operationalisation of justice within humanitarianism. Based on his broad experience in Africa and Asia relating to humanitarian protection, human rights and transitional justice, Simon provides a detailed account of engagement strategies with traditional actors and offers an interrogation of the tension between local dynamics and global politics over accountability and respect. The episode concludes with a special focus on the case of missing migrants in the Mediterranean. Simon Robins has spent 15 years as a consultant to United Nations agencies and international NGOs, including UNHCR, UNRWA, UN Women, Save the Children UK, International Committee of the Red Cross, Norwegian Refugee Council, International Organisation for Migration, International Coalition for Sites of Conscience, and International Center for Transitional Justice. Beyond his consultative role in monitoring and evaluation of policy and programs regarding protection and rule of law, Simon researches legacies of violence after conflict and emancipatory approaches driven by victims. Simon is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Applied Human Rights at the University of York and a Research Advisor to the Red Cross/Red Crescent Missing Persons Centre.

Digital technologies like mobiles, biometric devices, wearables, drones, big data and AI carry significant potential for enhancing the capacity of humanitarian agencies and the efficacy of humanitarian assistance. Yet, the reliance on digital systems and data in humanitarian crises also involves substantial risks. What are the risks of digital technologies in humanitarian action and what responsibilities are attached? How do humanitarian agencies and donors manage these risks? These questions were explored by a range of researchers involved in the “Do no harm: Ethical humanitarian innovation and digital bodies” research project at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Held on 19 June 2023, this is the fifth in a series of discussions on the ethics of humanitarian action. The series is initiated by PRIO and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies in collaboration with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) and the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC). It relates to the project “Red lines and grey zones: Exploring the ethics of humanitarian negotiations,” led by Kristoffer Lidén at PRIO.

This episode features a conversation between Kristoffer Lidén (Senior Researcher, Peace Research Institute Oslo) and Jan Egeland (Secretary-General, Norwegian Refugee Council, NRC) on the topic of humanitarian negotiations. Egeland has longstanding experience with humanitarian negotiations - both as Secretary-General of the NRC and from work on humanitarian issues at the UN and other humanitarian agencies. The conversation starts with the recent negotiations of the NRC regarding women aid workers in Afghanistan (see also episodes 18 and 16 on this topic). The discussion then turns to the history of humanitarian negotiations in general and Egeland’s role in promoting this agenda as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator in the early 2000s. Finally, Egeland shares more about his role as Special Adviser to the UN Special Envoy for Syria on humanitarian affairs, leading high-level negotiations on multiple fronts. This episode is part of a series of discussions on ethics in humanitarian action, relating to the research project “Red lines and grey zones: Exploring the ethics of humanitarian negotiations”, led by Kristoffer Lidén.

What was the role of moral duties in Western responses to Covid-19? How were vaccines distributed globally by states and pharmaceutical companies? And which lessons can be drawn for the ethics of humanitarian action? These are questions that were discussed in this conversation between Simon Reid-Henry and Jonathan Wolff, with comments by Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée and Kristoffer Lidén. The conversation is an output from the research project ⁠Co-duties: Democratic duties, collective action, and the greater good after Covid-19⁠. Held on 28 April 2023, this is the fourth in a series of discussions on the ethics of humanitarian action. The series is initiated by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies in collaboration with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) and the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC). It relates to the project Red Lines and Grey Zones: Exploring the Ethics of Humanitarian Negotiations, led by Kristoffer Lidén at PRIO.

This episode features a discussion on engaging with the Taliban then and now, and in particular what has the international aid community learned from past experiences and what are the consequences for the Afghan population. Based on his experience in Afghanistan since 1988 first as a United Nations (UN) aid worker and later as a researcher, ⁠Antoio Donini⁠ discusses the similarities and differences between the current context and international engagement in Afghanistan and what happened over twenty years ago. Held on 21 April 2023, the roundtable was organised and chaired by Dennis Dijkzeul (Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict) and is the third in a series of discussions on ethics in humanitarian action. The series is initiated by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies in collaboration with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) and the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC). It relates to the project Red Lines and Grey Zones: Exploring the Ethics of Humanitarian Negotiations, led by Kristoffer Lidén at PRIO. This discussion is also part of the Theory Lab of the Co-Duties project.

In this episode, independent humanitarian consultant and Senior Fellow at SOAS (University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies) Marc DuBois is invited to share his reflections on the culture, architecture and politics of humanitarian action. Bringing his expertise in policy, advocacy and humanitarian affairs as a former Director of Médecins sans Frontières-UK (MSF or Doctors Without Borders), Marc shares his thoughts on debates around the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, organisational culture and humanitarian principles and ethics.

As United Nations agencies and international humanitarian NGOs negotiate with the Taliban over the ban on women aid workers, this virtual roundtable explores where to draw red lines for humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Ought humanitarian operations be halted in response to the Taliban decree of 24 December 2022? Which new guidelines on this issue from the Afghan authorities would be acceptable? In this roundtable, these questions are explored from an ethical perspective: not asking what is strategic for humanitarian agencies but what is best for the Afghan people all things considered. As such, the roundtable is also an exploration of ethics of humanitarian action in general. This roundtable is the second in a series of discussions on ethics in humanitarian action. Held on 10 February 2023, the roundtable was organised by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies in collaboration with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) and the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC). It relates to the project Red Lines and Grey Zones: Exploring the Ethics of Humanitarian Negotiations, led by Kristoffer Lidén at PRIO.

This episode features a roundtable discussion on the principle and practice of humanitarian neutrality during the Syrian civil war since 2011. Humanitarian operations during the Syrian civil war were subject to much controversy and criticism. This criticism is reflected upon and carefully discussed by Carsten Wieland in his book Syria and the Neutrality Trap: The Dilemmas of Delivering Humanitarian Aid through Violent Regimes (I.B. Tauris, London (UK), 2021). In this roundtable discussion, Carsten Weiland (Diplomat, scholar and author) provides an introduction based on his book, followed by reflections by Anna Cervi (Norwegian Refugee Council) and Emanuela Chiara-Gillard (Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict). This roundtable is the first in a series of discussions on ethics in humanitarian action. Held on 16 January 2023, the roundtable was organised by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies in collaboration with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) and the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC). It relates to the project Red Lines and Grey Zones: Exploring the Ethics of Humanitarian Negotiations, led by Kristoffer Lidén at PRIO.

In this fourth and final episode of the Climate Resilient Development and Humanitarianism mini-series, Edwige Marty, a PhD candidate at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, facilitates a discussion between: · Halvard Buhaug, a Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo and a Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, · Rahma Hassan, a PhD candidate at the University of Nairobi and University of Copenhagen, and · Siri Eriksen, Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Buhaug, Hassan and Eriksen discuss linkages between conflicts, climate change and humanitarian and development responses, changing authority relations affecting pastoral resilience, and the role of research for humanitarianism and climate change.

In this third episode of the Climate Resilient Development and Humanitarianism mini-series, Edwige Marty, a PhD candidate at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences meets with Jackson Wachira, a PhD candidate at the University of Nairobi. They examine the historic realities and enduring narratives on the arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya, the changing conflicts and livelihoods dynamics in Samburu, which are affecting humanitarian and climate change efforts, and the importance of research in deconstructing bias and evaluating whether responses are working or not and for whom.

In this second episode of the Climate Resilient Development and Humanitarianism mini-series, Edwige Marty, a PhD candidate at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, explores recurring difficulties in operationalising inclusive long-term climate change programmes and humanitarian responses in Turkana, Kenya with Dennis Ochieng Ong’ech. Ochieng Ong’ech is the Turkana observatory coordinator for the REACH programme, a joint initiative between the University of Nairobi and Oxford University, and PhD candidate at the University of Nairobi.  The discussion explores emerging climate financing initiatives and the continued need for research in areas where the evidence base remains limited.

In this first episode of the Climate Resilient Development and Humanitarianism mini-series, Edwige Marty, a PhD candidate at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, explores the concept of climate resilient development together with Siri Eriksen, a Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and a lead author in the IPCC Sixth Assessment report, Working Group II.  Eriksen explains how dimensions of climate resilient development, such as ecosystem stewardship, knowledge diversity, equity and justice and inclusion, can help us reconsider current and future humanitarian responses.  Marty then discusses local humanitarian and development realities with Steiner Sempeta, a community leader from Olkiramatian, a Maasai communal land in Kajiado county, southern Kenya. The discussion emphasises the need for responses to include different sets of stakeholders, and their knowledges, as well as the need for long-term investments to support livelihoods.

What does it mean to move beyond the humanitarian grain? In this episode, Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, Professor of Migration and Refugee Studies at the University College London, delivers the NCHS Annual Lecture titled ‘Against the humanitarian grain’ at the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies Annual Conference, held in Bergen on 4 November 2022. In her lecture, Fiddian-Qasmiyeh proposes moving beyond, or even against, what she conceptualises as “the humanitarian grain”, including by exploring what can be gained both analytically and in practical terms by setting aside the ‘humanitarian frame’, and instead focusing on multi-scalar responses to displacement. Fiddian-Qasmiyeh suggests that displacing the humanitarian (thereby setting aside questions of labelling, geopolitical hegemony and even the quest for a genealogical recognition of the plurality of humanitarianisms) provides a critical opportunity to critically ‘rethink refugee response’.

Now the world has moved out of a liberal international order, where does that leave humanitarianism? In this episode, Michael Barnett, University Professor at George Washington University, delivers the keynote address titled ‘Humanitarianism in a post-liberal age’ to open the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies Annual Conference, held in Bergen on 4 November 2022. In his address, Barnett argues that humanitarianism was already exiting the liberal international order starting at the turn of this century, as the forces of destruction shifted from a liberal peace to securitisation; the forces of production from development to marketisation; and the forces of compassion from human rights to bounded cosmopolitanism. Where does humanitarianism go from here?