Social and Cultural Foundations in Global Studies by Eve Stoddard & John Collins

Author:Eve Stoddard & John Collins [Stoddard, Eve & Collins, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, World, Social History, Political Science, General, Globalization, Social Science, Sociology
ISBN: 9781317509776
Google: 7i4lDwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 30090767
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2016-10-04T01:36:41+00:00

Alternatives to North-South Humanitarianism

As critiques of traditional humanitarian appeals become more common, and as more people begin to take on the role of “ironic spectator,” it is tempting to agree with those who argue the world has entered a “post-humanitarian” age. At the same time, it is clear that the long-established patterns of representation associated with humanitarianism have shown a strong ability to reinvent themselves in response to changing geopolitical conditions. Equally important, the kinds of chronic social injustices that spark feelings of basic human solidarity show no signs of abating. So what does the future hold? Are there viable alternatives to the hierarchies that have long animated the social relations of North-South humanitarianism?

As noted earlier, humanitarian NGOs have already begun to respond to existing critiques by creating appeals that represent people in the Global South as actively involved in working to better their own lives. This shift itself may be viewed as an attempt to create alternatives to the most hierarchical forms of humanitarianism. Taking this approach a step further, some would point to the emergence of “voluntourism” (the practice of doing a small amount of charitable work as part of a tourist experience) as a welcome shift toward a more equal relationship between individuals and communities from different parts of the world. Others argue that voluntourism remains overly focused on the emotional needs of the Global North tourists and that, in practice, it has resulted in the creation of new forms of exploitation. Even at the most progressive end of the spectrum, when voluntourism morphs into politically motivated solidarity activism, there are concerns about whether such work might still end up reinforcing patterns of inequality and a neocolonial politics of representation.

The growing importance of major humanitarian organizations based in the South constitutes another emerging alternative. While some of these rely to some extent on financial support from the North, they are less likely to operate on the basis of cultural assumptions about Euro-American superiority and less likely to prioritize the emotional needs of Northern donors. One example is the Green Belt Movement, a Kenya-based NGO founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai and focused on the interconnected work of community development, environmental sustainability, and women’s empowerment. In addition to the work they do within their own local communities, Southern NGOs may be seen as part of the broader process of what is often called “South-South cooperation.” The technologies associated with globalization have increased the possibilities for people and nations in the Global South to deepen the exchange of knowledge and resources, including humanitarian assistance, in ways that sometimes bypass Global North organizations and governments altogether.

Much less common, at least to date, is the phenomenon of humanitarian assistance flowing from the South to the North. In principle, there is no reason why donors in the South could not become benefactors of projects addressing major social problems such as poverty and gender injustice in the North. When the Gulf Coast of the United States was hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, for example, dozens of countries from all parts of the world offered to send assistance.

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