humanitarian critique

centre de santé MSF Analysis

How not to mistake the enemy? Two critiques of humanitarian action

03/21/2025 Joël Glasman

The Trump administration’s attacks on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) since 20 January 2025 have revealed the anti-humanitarian ideology of the far right ­‒ that is, the view that foreign aid is a betrayal of national interests and values. In this article, Joël Glasman discusses two historical critiques of humanitarianism: the far-right (reactionary) critique, and the progressive critique shared by a number of traditions (Marxist, socialist, feminist, Pan-Africanist, and anti-colonialist). The author stresses the importance of clearly distinguishing between these two types of critique despite the current blurring of the line between politics and the media (welcomed by reactionary critique supporters), and shows that they are polar opposites when it comes to human dignity and the equality it implies.

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A woman is building a shelter in Dadaab refugee camp Lynsey Addario Opinion

The Poverty of Humanitarian Critique?

07/08/2014 Bertrand Taithe

While MSF has just recently launched a report, 'Where is everyone?', aiming at exposing the limitations and deficiencies of the international aid response to crises, Bertrand Taithe (HCRI) asks whether the approach taken and the question asked are the right ones.

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