A critique of humanitarian reason: agency, power, and privilege

I'Anson, Chioke A. M; Pfeifer, Geoff

doi:10.1080/17449626.2012.756419

Cited by 11 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The societal expectation for PKFC to play a role in the local economy (whether adhered to or not) resembles elements of 'white saviour discourse' (Cole 2012;L'Anson and Pfeifer 2013); a narrative that might be encouraged by PKFC's link to UN peacekeeping and the white dominated aid industry that is in control of desirable resources.…”

Section: The Intersection Of Race and Povertymentioning

confidence: 99%

‘White Child Gone Bankrupt’—The Intersection of Race and Poverty in Youth Fathered by UN Peacekeepers

Wagner

Bartels

Weber

et al. 2022

Cult Med Psychiatry

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Children fathered and abandoned by United Nations peacekeepers are an unintended consequence of peacekeeping operations. Research suggests that the social identity of peacekeeper-fathered children (PKFC) is complex and contradictory. While economically disadvantaged, PKFC’s biracial background confers elements of racial privilege. Using the Democratic Republic of Congo as a case study, the present research evaluates the impact of racial differences on PKFC’s social standing. Drawing on in-depth interviews with a racially heterogeneous sample of 35 PKFC and 60 mothers, we analyse how race and poverty interact and cause PKFC’s conflicting social role. The data demonstrates that being of mixed race leads to the expectation of a higher living standard. Since most PKFC live in extreme economic deprivation, their anticipated privilege contrasts with reality. We found that the stigmatizing effects of poverty were amplified by biracial identification, leading to additional disadvantage, epitomised in the term “Muzungu aliye homba” [white child gone bankrupt]. The findings add to research on ‘children born of war’ and show the role of culture in shaping youth’s social identities. Based on PKFC’s intersecting burdens, we make policy recommendations that address the nexus of race and poverty.

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Section: The Intersection Of Race and Povertymentioning

confidence: 99%

‘White Child Gone Bankrupt’—The Intersection of Race and Poverty in Youth Fathered by UN Peacekeepers

Wagner

Bartels

Weber

et al. 2022

Cult Med Psychiatry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These criticisms of STMMs reflect many of the issues raised in critiques of humanitarian and development programs more broadly [ 13 , 23 , 35 ]. For example, as l’Anson and Pfeifer wrote about humanitarian aid, “… in most cases, NGOs and their supporters are deaf to the actual wants, needs, and desires – or, in other words, the agency – of those they are trying to aid.” This is a common concern with STMM’s, which are often driven by the needs of volunteers and the assumption that anything they offer is better than what communities already have.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ghanaian views of short-term medical missions: The pros, the cons, and the possibilities for improvement

et al. 2021

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Background Various governments in Ghana have tried to improve healthcare in the country. Despite these efforts, meeting health care needs is a growing concern to government and their citizens. Short term medical missions from other countries are one of the responses to meet the challenges of healthcare delivery in Ghana. This research aimed to understand Ghanaian perceptions of short-term missions from the narratives of host country staff involved. The study from which this paper is developed used a qualitative design, which combined a case study approach and political economy analysis involving in-depth interviews with 28 participants. Result Findings show short term medical mission programs in Ghana were largely undertaken in rural communities to address shortfalls in healthcare provision to these areas. The programs were often delivered free and were highly appreciated by communities and host institutions. While the contributions of STMM to health service provision have been noted, there were challenges associated with how they operated. The study found concerns over language and how volunteers effectively interacted with communities. Other identified challenges were the extent to which volunteers undermined local expertise, using fraudulent qualifications by some volunteers, and poor skills and lack of experience leading to wrong diagnoses sometimes. The study found a lack of awareness of rules requiring the registration of practitioners with national professional regulatory bodies, suggesting non enforcement of volunteers’ need for local certification. Conclusion Short Term Medical Missions appear to contribute to addressing some of the critical gaps in healthcare delivery. However, there is an urgent need to address the challenges of ineffective utilisation and lack of oversight of these programs to maximise their benefits.

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Conceptualising Postcolonial Displacement Beyond Aid and Protection

Canuday

2020

The Handbook of Displacement

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A critique of humanitarian reason: agency, power, and privilege

Cited by 11 publications

References 11 publications

‘White Child Gone Bankrupt’—The Intersection of Race and Poverty in Youth Fathered by UN Peacekeepers

‘White Child Gone Bankrupt’—The Intersection of Race and Poverty in Youth Fathered by UN Peacekeepers

Ghanaian views of short-term medical missions: The pros, the cons, and the possibilities for improvement

Conceptualising Postcolonial Displacement Beyond Aid and Protection

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