International Organizations and Civilian Protection

'[This is] a terrific contribution to a growing literature rethinking the purpose and potential of international humanitarian work. Based on fascinating field studies from Sri Lanka and the Philippines, Sreeram Chaulia argues that the range of theoretical explanations for state and non-state humanitarian efforts to protect civilians in armed conflict are not up to the task. Our humanitarianism must, he argues, be open to more radical experimentation and new grass roots alliances, while rooting itself in a deeper understanding of the structures of social and political life in a global economy. Great stuff.' - Professor David Kennedy, Institute for Global Law and Policy, Harvard Law School, Harvard University; '[This book] is an important contribution to our understanding of humanitarianism in the context of conflict and war. [It] accomplishes the difficult task of making an important political critique of humanitarian action while at the same time contributing to recent theoretical debates within International Relations theory...The book will be of interest to scholars and students in international relations and development studies, as well as to practitioners in humanitarian organizations.' - Dr Peter Nyers, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, McMaster University; 'Chaulia has written a fascinating book on the humanitarian enterprise. He locates contemporary humanitarianism, especially humanitarian organizations, in global structures of injustice to argue a case for decolonizing the entrenched vision and realizing a just world order.' - Professor B.S. Chimni, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; 'Chaulia brings a much-needed rigorous political science analysis to the field of international humanitarian organizations. [This book] brings an important new dimension to the debate on the nature, motivation and impact of humanitarian engagement in conflict zones.' - Dr Alex de Waal, Program Director, Social Science Research Council; 'This book is a politically powerful and an intellectually astute critique of humanitarian organizations and will be a must-read for students of development studies, politics and international relations, as well as practitioners. I look forward to introducing this text to my students.' - Dr Patricia Daley, Lecturer in Human Geography, Jesus College, Oxford University