Humanitarianism: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

Humanitarian crises are a central problem of modern history and contemporary international relations. According to United Nations estimates, 300 million people required humanitarian assistance and protection in 2024 alone, due to displacement, armed conflict, food insecurity, disasters, and the consequences of climate change. The international humanitarian system, in turn, plays a powerful role in 21st century global affairs. Since the 1990s, the aid sector has ballooned in size and influence. It is now a multi-billion-dollar industry, employing hundreds of thousands of people globally.

In a clear, accessible, and concise narrative, Humanitarianism: A Very Short Introduction explains how and why this situation came to be. In this book, historian Julia F. Irwin traces the events and trends that defined modern humanitarianism, from the eighteenth century up to the present day. It describes the origins of international humanitarian action, the development of major humanitarian organizations and movements, the evolution of international humanitarian law, and the expansion of the international humanitarian sector. It examines organized efforts to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity amid major conflicts, disasters, refugee crises, and other humanitarian emergencies. At the same time, Irwin shows how beliefs about race, gender, religion, and nationality have historically influenced humanitarian sentiments and actions. Attuned to the distinctions between wartime, postwar, and non-conflict situations, Irwin assesses criticisms waged against humanitarian actions and debates over the legitimacy of humanitarian interventions. This Very Short Introduction also teases out the complex relationship between humanitarianism, human rights, and international development. Finally, this book surveys diverse and competing humanitarian traditions throughout the world, placing humanitarian ideals and practices in a global context.

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Julia Irwin is the T. Harry Williams Professor of History at Louisiana State University. She earned her Ph.D. in History from Yale University. Her research focuses on the histories of U.S. foreign assistance and international humanitarianism. She is the author of Making the World Safe: The American Red Cross and a Nation's Humanitarian Awakening and Catastrophic Diplomacy: US Foreign Disaster Assistance in the American Century. She is also a founding co-editor of the book series InterConnections: The Global 20th Century and a founding co-editor of the Journal of Disaster Studies.