“From Common Humanity to Humanitarian Obligation: Suffering Strangers, Progress, and Emergencies”
Neither the idea of extending help to distant strangers nor the conceptualization of their circumstances as humanitarian emergencies is simply given by the reality of human suffering nor explained by universalistic ethics alone. These reflect a specific history and specific ways of framing troubling events. Religious charity, colonial
rule, ideals of progress, and the rise of mass media all play a role. Considering this history gives perspective on current challenges to the field of humanitarian action and invites the question of whether it is likely to be deeply changed by the end of the era in which it flourished.
From the Love & Justice Lecture Series at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, University of Virginia.
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