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The humanitarians' tragedy: escapable and inescapable cruelties
1Social Science Research Council, New York, NY 10021, USA. dewaal@ssrc.org
Disasters
|February 6, 2010
Summary
Humanitarian work involves unavoidable cruelties, stemming from ethical dilemmas and resource limitations, rather than just technical failures. Understanding these inherent tensions is crucial for the field.
Area of Science:
- Humanitarian Studies
- Ethics in International Relations
- Conflict Resolution
Background:
- Humanitarian aid operations grapple with inherent ethical complexities.
- The professionalization of humanitarianism has reduced technical failures but not all cruelties.
- The 'humanitarian's tragedy' encompasses inescapable cruelties arising from complex circumstances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the intrinsic elements of cruelty within the humanitarian enterprise.
- To differentiate between escapable and inescapable cruelties in aid delivery.
- To explore the ethical compromises and psychological impacts within humanitarian work.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of ethical dilemmas in humanitarian operations.
- Examination of case studies illustrating rights-based conflicts.
- Conceptual exploration of the 'humanitarian's tragedy' and its components.
Main Results:
- Escapable cruelties, due to technical issues, have decreased with professionalization and technological advancements.
- Inescapable cruelties arise from conflicting rights and the realities of war.
- Individual-level cruelties include failing to maximize good at the margin (triage) and compromising principles.
Conclusions:
- The humanitarian enterprise inherently contains unavoidable cruelties, termed the 'humanitarian's tragedy'.
- These inescapable cruelties stem from ethical conflicts, resource constraints, and the difficult realities of operating in crisis zones.
- Addressing these requires acknowledging the inherent tensions rather than solely focusing on technical improvements.
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