The workshop focuses on humanitarian action, i.e. the action that aims at saving lives, alleviating suffering and protecting human dignity during and in the aftermath of crises caused by disasters or conflicts (in particular, but not exclusively, activities of UN agencies and NGOs). The aim of this workshop is to explore lived experiences of humanitarian actors and invite discussion on relationships within humanitarian practice (such as relationships within humanitarian organisations, within affected communities, and between humanitarian actors and recipients of humanitarian assistance).

The workshop aims at engaging a discussion drawing from personal experience, empirical research and/or conceptual inquiry in order to approach creatively and constructively ongoing practical issues in the humanitarian field today.

We particularly welcome contributions from humanitarian practitioners, social scientists with expertise on humanitarianism and philosophers/ethicists.

We are especially keen to address the following themes and questions:

• Are there humanitarian needs beyond bodily needs? Psychological, political, cultural?
• Dignity and non-material needs in humanitarian action
• Beneficiaries’ engagement with humanitarian action
• Increased professionalisation and standardisation of humanitarian action
• Resilience of humanitarian actors
• Technical versus relational aspects of aid
• The ‘who’ as opposed to the ‘what’ of humanitarian action
• Power asymmetry in humanitarian relationships

The workshop will take place in English only.

We envision an edited book volume to result from papers presented at the workshop.

Please indicate in your abstract submission whether you would like to be considered in the book proposal.

Please kindly submit your abstracts to a.ahmad@ucl.ac.uk and anais.resseguier@sciencespo.fr

Maximum 500 words; Deadline February 1st.

Workshop co-organised by Dr Ayesha Ahmad (Institute of Global Health, University College London), Anaïs Rességuier (Sciences Po, Paris), and Dr Caroline Clarinval (University of Zurich).

The workshop is part of the EU-funded COST Action on Disaster Bioethics (http://disasterbioethics.eu) and hosted by the Sciences Po Center for Political Research CEVIPOF (http://www.cevipof.com/en/).