Social Science Research Council

Although the causes of the transformation of humanitarian action are varied, many observers argue that money not only matters but that it is critical for understanding the present and future system. The growing competition among humanitarian agencies for funds from a narrowing number of donors has contributed to the claim that there is a marketplace for humanitarian activities. These market-driven processes might make humanitarian organizations more efficient at the delivery of services, but they also could be shaping how organizations do their business, what goals they pursue, and how they organize their activities. In addition, there is the specter of for-profit firms competing with NGOs for official contracts. What is the political economy of humanitarian action?

November 2004 Presenters

Alex Cooley, Assistant Professor (on-leave 2004-05) Department of Political Science, Barnard College 2004-05 US German Marshall Fund Research Fellow
Link to Paper: "The Marketplace of Humanitarian Action: A Political Economy Perspective"

Larry Minear, Director, Humanitarianism and War Project, Feinstein International Famine Center, Tufts University
Paper: "Reflections on the Political Economy of the Humanitarian Enterprise"