International Organisations : Development and Humanistarism

The seminar offers an introduction to the field of international development and humanitarianism. It does so by exploring the institutional architecture of international aid (governments, international organizations, donors, NGOs) and by critically examining the major theoretical foundations in this field of study. The seminar is divided into three units. It starts with historical trajectories of development, beginning with colonization. We will then focus on some prominent concepts of international aid. When were notions such as “development,” “poverty,” or “fragile states” construed? By whom? What are the assumptions and central arguments underlying international development and humanitarianism? In a third unit, we will examine the technologies used by the development industry (humanitarian drones, biometrics) and their practical and ethical challenges.