Download or read book Humanitarian Futures written by Randolph C. Kent and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-09-19 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Humanitarian Futures: Challenges and Opportunities explores the increasing types, dimensions and dynamics of crises threatening the world in the twenty-first century, and argues that those with humanitarian roles and responsibilities can only meet such challenges if their approaches to strategic and operational planning undergo fundamental paradigmatic shifts. Strategically and operationally, such shifts must begin by planning from the future, for the future. Author Randolph C. Kent, the UN’s first Humanitarian Coordinator, with experience in some of the most complex crises of modern times, including Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kosovo, Sudan and Somalia, provides a blueprint for dealing with ever greater complexity on planet Earth and beyond. That blueprint is not about upgrading existing tools or relying upon tried precedence. Rather, it points to a new paradigm for meeting crises. It begins by looking at the changing nature of humanness and governance, and then turns to plausible future crises based on such changes, before concluding with practical steps for dealing with ever more complex humanitarian threats, now and in the future. This book will be an essential read for humanitarian policymakers and practitioners as well as for humanitarian and global studies researchers and students who are and want to be engaged in understanding and preparing for ever more complex and unpredictable humanitarian challenges.

Download or read book Strategic Planning in the Humanitarian Sector written by Eilidh Kennedy and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-10-27 with total page 119 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides humanitarian practitioners and policy makers with a manual for how to apply foresight and strategy in their work. Drawing on extensive research, the book demonstrates in practical terms how embedding futures-focused thinking into practice can help humanitarian actors to enhance their impact and fit for the future. The book provides readers with a step-by-step guide to an innovative combination of tools and methods tested and refined over the course of several years. However, it also goes beyond this, by grounding the approach within the broader ambition of making humanitarian action more effective. Overall, the analytical and strategic processes outlined in this book will accompany a decision maker through every stage of creating a robust, agile and impactful long-term strategy. This accessible guide will be an essential point of reference for practitioners and decision makers in the humanitarian ecosystem, as well as students studying humanitarian affairs, global development, conflict studies and international relations.

Download or read book Global Public Investment written by Jonathan Glennie and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: International cooperation has never been more needed, but the current system of "aid" is outdated and ineffective. The Future of Aid calls for a wholesale restructuring of the aid project, a totally new approach fit for the challenges of the 21st century: Global Public Investment. Across the world, billions of people are struggling to get by in unequal and unsustainable societies, and international public finance, which should be part of the answer, is woefully deficient. Engagingly written by a well-known expert in the field, The Future of Aid calls for a series of paradigm shifts. From a narrow focus on poverty to a broader attack on inequality and sustainability. From seeing international public money as a temporary last resort, to valuing it as a permanent force for good. From North-South transfers to a collective effort, with all paying in and all benefitting. From outdated post-colonial institutions to representative decision-making. From the othering and patronising language of "foreign aid", to the empowering concept of Global Public Investment. Ten years ago, in The Trouble with Aid, Jonathan Glennie highlighted the dangers of aid dependency and the importance of looking beyond aid. Now he calls for a revolution in the way that we think about the role of public money to back up our ambitious global objectives. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, it is time for a new era of internationalism.

Download or read book Future War written by Christopher Coker and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2015-11-12 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Will tomorrow's wars be dominated by autonomous drones, land robots and warriors wired into a cybernetic network which can read their thoughts? Will war be fought with greater or lesser humanity? Will it be played out in cyberspace and further afield in Low Earth Orbit? Or will it be fought more intensely still in the sprawling cities of the developing world, the grim black holes of social exclusion on our increasingly unequal planet? Will the Great Powers reinvent conflict between themselves or is war destined to become much 'smaller' both in terms of its actors and the beliefs for which they will be willing to kill? In this illuminating new book Christopher Coker takes us on an incredible journey into the future of warfare. Focusing on contemporary trends that are changing the nature and dynamics of armed conflict, he shows how conflict will continue to evolve in ways that are unlikely to render our century any less bloody than the last. With insights from philosophy, cutting-edge scientific research and popular culture, Future War is a compelling and thought-provoking meditation on the shape of war to come.

Download or read book Humanitarian Ethics written by Hugo Slim and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2015-01-09 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Humanitarians are required to be impartial, independent, professionally competent and focused only on preventing and alleviating human suffering. It can be hard living up to these principles when others do not share them, while persuading political and military authorities and non-state actors to let an agency assist on the ground requires savvy ethical skills. Getting first to a conflict or natural catastrophe is only the beginning, as aid workers are usually and immediately presented with practical and moral questions about what to do next. For example, when does working closely with a warring party or an immoral regime move from practical cooperation to complicity in human rights violations? Should one operate in camps for displaced people and refugees if they are effectively places of internment? Do humanitarian agencies inadvertently encourage ethnic cleansing by always being ready to 'mop-up' the consequences of scorched earth warfare? This book has been written to help humanitarians assess and respond to these and other ethical dilemmas.

Download or read book Global Security Cultures written by Mary Kaldor and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2018-05-21 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do politicians think that war is the answer to terror when military intervention in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Mali, Somalia and elsewhere has made things worse? Why do some conflicts never end? And how is it that practices like beheadings, extra-judicial killings, the bombing of hospitals and schools and sexual slavery are becoming increasingly common? In this book, renowned scholar of war and human security Mary Kaldor introduces the concept of global security cultures in order to explain why we get stuck in particular pathways to security. A global security culture, she explains, involves different combinations of ideas, narratives, rules, people, tools, practices and infrastructure embedded in a specific form of political authority, a set of power relations, that come together to address or engage in large-scale violence. In contrast to the Cold War period, when there was one dominant culture based on military forces and nation-states, nowadays there are competing global security cultures. Defining four main types - geo-politics, new wars, the liberal peace, and the war on terror she investigates how we might identify contradictions, dilemmas and experiments in contemporary security cultures that might ultimately open up new pathways to rescue and safeguard civility in the future.

Download or read book The New Humanitarians in International Practice written by Zeynep Sezgin and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-12-14 with total page 398 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As humanitarian needs continue to grow rapidly, humanitarian action has become more contested, with new actors entering the field to address unmet needs, but also challenging long-held principles and precepts. This volume provides detailed empirical comparisons between emerging and traditional humanitarian actors. It sheds light on why and how the emerging actors engage in humanitarian crises and how their activities are carried out and perceived in their transnational organizational environment. It develops and applies a conceptual framework that fosters research on humanitarian actors and the humanitarian principles. In particular, it simultaneously refers to theories of organizational sociology and international relations to identify both the structural and the situational factors that influence the motivations, aims and activities of these actors, and their different levels of commitment to the traditional humanitarian principles. It thus elucidates the role of the humanitarian principles in promoting coherence and coordination in the crowded and diverse world of humanitarian action, and discusses whether alternative principles and parallel humanitarian systems are in the making. This volume will be of great interest to postgraduate students and scholars in humanitarian studies, globalization and transnationalism research, organizational sociology, international relations, development studies, and migration and diaspora studies, as well as policy makers and practitioners engaged in humanitarian action, development cooperation and migration issues.

Download or read book The Evolution of Military Power in the West and Asia written by Pauline Eadie and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-09-16 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book investigates how states in both the West and Asia have responded to multi-dimensional security challenges since the end of the Cold War, focusing on military transformation. Looking at a cross-section of different countries, this volume assesses how their armed forces have responded to a changing international security context. The book investigates two main themes. First, how the process of military ‘transformation’- in terms of technological advances and new ways of conducting warfare - has impacted on the militaries of various countries. These technologies are hugely expensive and the extent to which different states can afford them, and the ability of these states to utilise these technologies, differs greatly. Second, the volume investigates the social dimensions of military transformation. It reveals the expanding breadth of tasks that contemporary armed forces have been required to address. This includes the need for military forces to work with other actors, such as non-governmental agencies and humanitarian organisations, and the ability of armed forces to fight asymmetric opponents and conduct post-conflict reconstruction tasks. The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan exemplified how important the relationship between technological and social transformation has become. This book will be of much interest to students of strategic studies, military innovation, Asian politics, security studies and International Relations.

Download or read book The Routledge Companion to Humanitarian Action written by Roger Mac Ginty and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-03-24 with total page 487 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Companion on Humanitarian Action addresses the political, ethical, legal and practical issues which influence reactions to humanitarian crisis. It does so by exploring the daily dilemmas faced by a range of actors, including policy makers, aid workers, the private sector and the beneficiaries of aid and by challenging common perceptions regarding humanitarian crisis and the policies put in place to address these. Through such explorations, it provides practitioners and scholars with the knowledge needed to both understand and improve upon current forms of humanitarian action. The Companion will be of use to those interested a range of humanitarian programmes ranging from emergency medical assistance, military interventions, managing refugee flows and the implementation of international humanitarian law. As opposed to addressing specific programmes, it will explore five themes seen as relevant to understanding and engaging in all modes of humanitarian action. The first section explores varying interpretations of humanitarianism, including critical historical and political-economic explanations as well as more practice based explorations focused on notions needs assessments and evaluation. Following this, readers will be exposed to the latest debates on a range of humanitarian principles including neutrality and sovereignty, before exploring the key issues faced by the main actors involved in humanitarian crisis (from international NGOs to local community based organizations). The final two sections address what are seen as key dilemmas in regards to humanitarian action and emerging trends in the humanitarian system, including the increasing role of social media in responding to crises. Whilst not a ‘how to guide’, the Companion contains many practical insights for policy makers and aid workers, whilst also offering analytical insights for students of humanitarian action. Indeed, throughout the book, readers will come to the realization that understanding and improving humanitarian action simultaneously requires both active critical reflection and an acceptance of the urgency and timeliness of action that is required for humanitarian assistance to have an impact on vital human needs. Exploring a sector that is far from homogenous, both practitioners and scholars alike will find the contributions of this book offers them a deeper understanding of the motivations and mechanics of current interventions, but also insight into current changes and progress occurring in the field of humanitarian practice.

Download or read book International Humanitarian Action written by Hans-Joachim Heintze and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-10-04 with total page 524 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This textbook examines a wide range of humanitarian action issues in five parts, presented by specialists from different academic fields. The respective parts reflect the five core modules of the International NOHA Joint Master’s Programme “International Humanitarian Action”: a) World Politics, b) International Law, c) Public Health, d) Anthropology, and e) Management. The book serves as a common basis for teaching at all NOHA universities and aims at imparting the basic knowledge and skills needed to excel in a complex interdisciplinary and international learning context. It provides in-depth information on key international humanitarian principles and values, professional codes of conduct, and the commitment to their implementation in practice. The book will thus be useful for all students of the NOHA Joint Master’s Programme and participants of any courses with a similar content, but also for academics and practitioners affiliated with entities such as international organisations and NGOs. It may also serve as an introduction to anyone with an interest in understanding the numerous and inter-linked facets of humanitarian action.

Download or read book Humanitarian Logistics written by Martin Christopher and published by Kogan Page Publishers. This book was released on 2014-10-03 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A range of recent disasters have demonstrated the critical role of effective logistics in disaster preparation and response in both developing and developed countries. Humanitarian Logistics provides thought-provoking guidance and discussion of the core issues facing those who are involved in managing the logistics of disaster relief. Peter Tatham and Martin Christopher have assembled a broad ranging collection of thoughts, ideas, concepts and approaches contributed by both practitioners and academics that, together, provide an overview of some of the core challenges facing today's humanitarian logistician. With insights from world leading experts in the field, this multi-contributed book provides guidance for best practice and offers potential solutions for effective response in this crucial area. Each chapter of the 2nd edition has been updated to reflect the latest developments, improvements and emerging challenges that have been encountered in this important and rapidly-growing field. This new edition of Humanitarian Logistics also increases the level of input from the practitioner community and broadens the geographic coverage, by introducing new perspectives from Asia and Africa and a number of experienced field practitioners. There are also entire new chapters on: Quality and accountability; Lessons learned from the 2004 Thailand Tsunami and the April 2012 Tsunami warning; Emergency preparedness and the experience of international humanitarian organizations in South East Asia; What next for humanitarian logistics? It also includes chapters that focus on emerging areas of challenge that have attracted recent attention in both practitioner and academic circles, including training and education, inter-agency coordination and information systems management.

Download or read book Responding to Catastrophes written by R. C. Kent and published by CSIS. This book was released on 2008 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Humanitarian Response Index HRI 2009 written by DARA (Development Assistance Research Associates) and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-01-08 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over 350 million people are affected each year by disaster and conflict. The international community is often unable to respond effectively to these crises. This report provides an independent examination of donor performance with the aim of improving the effectiveness of aid, and promoting greater accountability of donors.

Download or read book Humanitarian Military Intervention written by Taylor B. Seybolt and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2007 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Military intervention in a conflict without a reasonable prospect of success is unjustifiable, especially when it is done in the name of humanity. Couched in the debate on the responsibility to protect civilians from violence and drawing on traditional 'just war' principles, the centralpremise of this book is that humanitarian military intervention can be justified as a policy option only if decision makers can be reasonably sure that intervention will do more good than harm. This book asks, 'Have past humanitarian military interventions been successful?' It defines success as saving lives and sets out a methodology for estimating the number of lives saved by a particular military intervention. Analysis of 17 military operations in six conflict areas that were thedefining cases of the 1990s-northern Iraq after the Gulf War, Somalia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, Kosovo and East Timor-shows that the majority were successful by this measure. In every conflict studied, however, some military interventions succeeded while others failed, raising the question, 'Why have some past interventions been more successful than others?' This book argues that the central factors determining whether a humanitarian intervention succeeds are theobjectives of the intervention and the military strategy employed by the intervening states. Four types of humanitarian military intervention are offered: helping to deliver emergency aid, protecting aid operations, saving the victims of violence and defeating the perpetrators of violence. Thefocus on strategy within these four types allows an exploration of the political and military dimensions of humanitarian intervention and highlights the advantages and disadvantages of each of the four types.Humanitarian military intervention is controversial. Scepticism is always in order about the need to use military force because the consequences can be so dire. Yet it has become equally controversial not to intervene when a government subjects its citizens to massive violation of their basic humanrights. This book recognizes the limits of humanitarian intervention but does not shy away from suggesting how military force can save lives in extreme circumstances.

Download or read book Innovations in Global Mental Health written by Samuel O. Okpaku and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-11-02 with total page 2272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the course of the last decade, political and mental entities at large have embraced global mental health: the idea that psychiatric health is vital to improved quality of life. Physicians globally have implemented guidelines recommended by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in 2007, thereby breaking down barriers to care and improving quality of life in areas where these practices have been implemented. Programs for training and education have expanded as a result. Clinicians benefit more from both local resources in some regions as well as in international collaboration and technological advancements. Even amidst all of these positive outcomes, clinicians still face some stumbling blocks. With worldwide statistics estimating that 450 million people struggle with mental, neuropsychiatric, and neurological disorders—25 percent of the world’s non-communicable disease burden—rising to these challenges prove to be no small feat, even in wealthy Western nations. Various articles and books have been published on global mental health, but few of them thoroughly cover the clinical, research, innovative, and social implications as they pertain to psychiatry; often, only one of these aspects is covered. A comprehensive text that can keep pace with the rapidly evolving literature grows more and more valuable each day as clinicians struggle to piece together the changes around the world that leave open the possibility for improved outcomes in care. This book seeks to boldly rectify this situation by identifying innovative models of service delivery, training, education, research funding, and payment systems that have proven to be exemplary in implementation and scalability or have potential for scalability. Chapters describe specific barriers and challenges, illuminating effective strategies for improved outcomes. This text is the first peer-reviewed resource to gather prestigious physicians in global mental health from around the world and disseminate their expertise in the medical community at large in a format that is updateable, making it a truly cutting-edge resource in a world constantly changed by medical, scientific, and technological advances. Innovations in Global Mental Health is the ultimate resource for psychiatrists, psychologists, primary care physicians, hospitalists, policy makers, and all medical professionals at the forefront of global mental health and its implications for the future.

Download or read book Evaluating International Public Health Issues written by Mbuso Precious Mabuza and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2019-09-03 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book makes an original contribution in addressing contemporary critical discussions and reflections on international health policies, strategies, programmes, systems, diseases, disasters, and public health issues. It includes reflections on how levels of governance, development and technical assistance affect countries’ disaster readiness and health systems. In addressing inequalities between the rich and the poor, and unpacking how this affects public health services, policies, strategies and their collective implementation, the book aspires to improve standards of public health and quality of life for sustainable development globally. It provides a comprehensive overview of international health policies and aid structures, and pays particularly close attention to policies on HIV/AIDS in the workplace, discussing how HIV/AIDS has overshadowed non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and stroke, which are on the rise. This book will be of great benefit to students and researchers, as well as policymakers in governmental and non-governmental organisations, who have an interest in achieving greater sustainability and improved health for populations in low-, middle- and high-income countries. It will be an indispensable book for students in Public Health programmes, and related courses.

Download or read book Open Source Intelligence in the Twenty First Century written by C. Hobbs and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-05-09 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited book provides an insight into the new approaches, challenges and opportunities that characterise open source intelligence (OSINT) at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It does so by considering the impacts of OSINT on three important contemporary security issues: nuclear proliferation, humanitarian crises and terrorism.