Empire of Humanity: A History of Humanitarianism

TitleEmpire of Humanity: A History of Humanitarianism
Publication TypeBook
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsBarnett, Michael
Number of Pages296
PublisherCornell University Press
CityIthaca, NY
Abstract

This volume explores humanitarianism's remarkable growth from its humble origins in the early nineteenth century to its current prominence in global life. In contrast to most contemporary accounts of humanitarianism that concentrate on the last two decades, this volume's author ties the past to the present, connecting the antislavery and missionary movements of the nineteenth century to today's peacebuilding missions, the Cold War interventions in places like Biafra and Cambodia to post Cold War humanitarian operations in regions such as the Great Lakes of Africa and the Balkans; and the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863 to the emergence of the major international humanitarian organizations of the twentieth century. Although many use humanitarianism as a symbol of moral progress, the author argues that humanitarianism has undergone its most impressive gains after moments of radical inhumanity, when the "international community" believes that it must atone for its sins and reduce the breach between what we do and who we think we are. Based on extensive archival work, close encounters with many of today's leading international agencies, and interviews with dozens of aid workers in the field and at headquarters, this volume provides a history that is both global and intimate.

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670248195

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