Humanitarian Negotiations Revealed: The MSF Experience edited by C. Magone, M. Neuman and F. Weissman

Humanitarian Negociations Revealed : The MSF experience

Magone, Claire ; Neuman, Michael ; Weissman, Fabrice
November 2011 – HURST

From international NGOs to UN agencies, from donors to observers of humanitarianism, opinion is unanimous: in a context of the alleged ‘clash of civilisations’, our ‘humanitarian space’ is shrinking. Put another way, the freedom of action and of speech of humanitarians is being eroded due to the radicalisation of conflicts and the reaffirmation of state sovereignty over aid actors and policies.

 The purpose of this book is to challenge this assumption through an analysis of the events that have marked MSF’s history since 2003 (when MSF published its first general work on humanitarian action and its relationships with governments). It addresses the evolution of humanitarian goals, the resistance to these goals and the political arrangements that overcame this resistance (or that failed to do so). The contributors seek to analyse the political transactions and balances of power and interests that allow aid activities to move forward, but that are usually masked by the lofty rhetoric of ‘humanitarian principles.’ They focus on one key question: what is an acceptable compromise for MSF?

This book seeks to puncture a number of the myths that have grown up over the forty years since MSF was founded and describes in detail how the ideals of humanitarian principles and ‘humanitarian space’ operating in conflict zones are in reality illusory. How, in fact, it is the grubby negotiations with varying parties, each of whom have their own vested interests, that may allow organisations such as MSF to operate in a given crisis situation — or not.

About the Contributors

Marie-Pierre Allié
a medical doctor, is the president of the French section of Médecins Sans Frontières.

Caroline Abu-Sada
is the coordinator of the Research Unit of the Swiss section of Médecins Sans Frontières.

Laurence Binet
is a director of studies at the Centre de réflexion sur l’action et les savoirs humanitaires, Fondation Médecins Sans Frontières.

Jean-Hervé Bradol
a medical doctor, is a director of studies at the Centre de réflexion sur l’action et les savoirs humanitaires, Fondation Médecins Sans Frontières. He is a former president of the French section of Médecins Sans Frontières (2000–2008).

Rony Brauman
a medical doctor, is a director of studies at the Centre de réflexion sur l’action et les savoirs humanitaires, Fondation Médecins Sans Frontières. He is a former president of the French section of Médecins Sans Frontières (1982–1994).

Xavier Crombé
is a lecturer at Sciences Po in Paris. He is a former head of mission for Médecins Sans Frontières in Afghanistan (2002– 2003) and a former director of studies at the Centre de réflexion sur l’action et les savoirs humanitaires, Fondation Médecins Sans Frontières (2005–2008).

Stéphane Doyon
is the nutrition team leader at the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines of Médecins Sans Frontières.

Michiel Hofman
is a former head of mission for Médecins Sans Frontières in Afghanistan (2009–2011).

Michel-Olivier Lacharité
is a programme manager for Médecins Sans Frontières.

Benoît Leduc
is a former programme manager for Médecins Sans Frontières (2007–2010).

Marc Le Pape
is a sociologist and a former member of the Board of the French section of Médecins Sans Frontières (1998–2008).

Claire Magone
is a director of studies at the Centre de réflexion sur l’action et les savoirs humanitaires, Fondation Médecins Sans Frontières.

Michaël Neuman
is a director of studies at the Centre de réflexion sur l’action et les savoirs humanitaires, Fondation Médecins Sans Frontières.

David Rieff
is an independent journalist, author of A Bed for the Night. Humanitarianism in Crisis (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003).

Fiona Terry
is an independent researcher and a former director of studies at the Centre de réflexion sur l’action et les savoirs humanitaires, Fondation Médecins Sans Frontières.

Claudine Vidal
is a sociologist, Groupe de sociologie politique et morale, École des hautes études en sciences sociales.

Fabrice Weissman
is a director of studies at the Centre de réflexion sur l’action et les savoirs humanitaires, Fondation Médecins Sans Frontières.

Jonathan Whittall
is a humanitarian adviser at Médecins Sans Frontières—South Africa.


OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
DM (23 juillet 2012). Humanitarian Negotiations Revealed: The MSF Experience edited by C. Magone, M. Neuman and F. Weissman. SRI LANKA & DIASPORAS. Consulté le 14 décembre 2024 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/u7mk


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