Man-made disaster and development

Abstract

The idea of disaster is usually associated with human suffering caused by natural events: tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods. However, human-created disasters stemming from war, the conduct of repressive regimes, the use of sanctions, and economic and social policies represent an equally important dimension of disaster. These practices have political goals and produce a range of negative social and economic conditions beyond their stated aims. They cause human suffering, especially among vulnerable groups, disproportionately women, children, older people and poor people.In this article I explore the concept of disaster and examine US-led policy towards Iraq as a case study of a human-made disaster. I argue that the current war, following years of economic sanctions, US military intervention in 1990-1, the Iran-Iraq war and decades of government repression has crippled Iraq's economic and social development. I consider the ongoing violence and social disintegration in Iraq to suggest that social work has a key global role to play in responding to policies that create such disaster.Social work is predicated on the values of social justice and elimination of all forms of oppression, discrimination and inequality. To advance this perspective and confront human-made disaster, the profession should promote social development strategies and human rights principles through political practice and within social work education. This would give social work a central role

Advancing a disability rights agenda in a context of war: Challenges and opportunities

“…This does not mean that social workers from the North should rush into war zones, as this could amount to 'disaster tourism'; but for social workers who find themselves in contexts of war, there is a need to recognize that their role should not be limited to addressing the micro-level consequences of war on individuals and families. As Harding (2007) notes, there is a need for social work to be involved in addressing the macro policies that lead to war.…”

Iraqi refugees and the humanitarian costs of the Iraq war: What role for social work?

“…Other social work research has examined economic sanctions on Iraq in the 1990s and the reluctance of the profession to deal with questions of human rights and global conflict (Harding, 2004). Harding (2007) also analyzed the crisis in Iraq as a man‐made disaster. Both articles highlighted the relevance of international issues to social work and urged a more activist role for the profession in global affairs, especially by engaging US foreign policy.…”

“…We argue for sustained social work advocacy and practice on behalf of Iraqi refugees, most of whom face social exclusion in host countries in the Middle East and will not be selected for permanent resettlement in the Global North. Despite the scale of Iraqi displacement, social work professions, most notably those in the United States, have largely ignored the humanitarian effects of the Iraq War (Harding, 2004, 2007). As with other global crises of forced migration, there is a lack of social work involvement in collaboration, service provision and advocacy on behalf of Iraqi refugees in the Middle East, Europe or the United States – a reality at odds with the positions of international social work bodies.…”

Why Just War Needs Feminism Now More Than Ever

“…First, as mentioned above, a feminist perspective focuses special attention on the impacts of war on those traditionally marginalized in social and political life, especially women. In terms of the conflict in Iraq, then, an approach to just aftermath would be concerned with the high rape rate of Iraqi women by American soldiers (Hynes, 2004), increases in the measures of gender inequality in Iraq (Enloe, 2004;Kandiyoti, 2007), and decreases in indicators of social welfare (Pollack, 2004;Harding, 2007). Second, a feminist perspective on just war theory encourages potential belligerents to follow a new, more sensitive principle of discrimination, which acknowledges the terrible civilian damages cause by conflict, and calculates the long-term human impacts in addition to the immediate costs of fighting.…”