The History of International Humanitarian Assistance

The subject of humanitarian assistance is of great current interest, but its history has been relatively neglected. The goal of this course will, therefore, be to examine the main elements of this history, as well as its usefulness in understanding current developments.

This course will examine the history of international humanitarian assistance during the 19th and 20th centuries. Its focus in on the movements and activities that developed in wealthier countries (Europe and the U.S.) during this period which attempted to help those in other lands in need of assistance (e.g., food, shelter, medical care). These needs arose from a variety of causes, both natural and man-made, such as famine, flood, epidemics, earthquakes and volcanoes as well as wars and government oppression. The responses took many forms, governmental and non-governmental, in a world that underwent very dramatic changes during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Reading Requirements

Required books:

Akira Iriye. Global Community: The Role of International Organizations in the Making of the Contemporary World (Berkeley: U. of California Pr., 2002) 246 pp. $16.95 ISBN: 0520231287 Copies are available in the bookstore.

Additional articles and excerpts from other books will be available on the web, through University Library course reserves, or handed out in class. For electronic library course reserves, students will need to log on to course reserves with their University ID and password. It may be necessary to search for the reserves under the name of the instructor (Schneider) or title of the course (H425). If asked for the course password it is: H425. For simplicity, the readings are only listed with the undergraduate number.

Additional readings are available on the web as indicated below. If you have any difficulties obtaining them, contact the instructor.

Recommended book (in bookstore):

J. Michael Allen and James B. Allen, HarperCollins College Outline World History From 1500 (New York: Harper Collins, 1993) 480pp; $17.95 ISBN10: 0064671380 Copies are available in the bookstore.

This is recommended for anyone who has not had the Western Civ or World Civ survey recently, or who does not have an old text available. Some readings are suggested below, but this text is meant to serve generally as a reference for background history of the world since 1800.

Other Recommended books:

Caroline Moorehead, Dunant's Dream: War, Switzerland and the History of the Red Cross (Carroll & Graf Pub,1998) Used copies are readily available online . It will be useful not only for understanding the history of the best known international humanitarian NGO but also in providing a chronology of worldwide disasters and relief in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Selected readings (for graduate students) are listed for appropriate classes.

Merle Curti, American Philanthropy Abroad (New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1988) 656pp ISBN: 088738711X. Despite being originally published in 1964, this book remains the best survey of the history of humanitarian assistance in the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries. It is available new for $55, but there are a limited number of used copies on the web for $15 or less.

Lawrence J. Friedman and Mark D. McGarvie, eds., Charity, Philanthropy, and Civility in American History (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004), $22.99 ISBN: 0521603536 Only a few chapters are directly relevant to the international setting, but this is a standard work on the history of American philanthropy.

Gilbert Rist, The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith (Zed Books, 2002, $34) An excellent book on the history of a related topic: development assistance

De Waal, Alex, Famine Crimes: Politics and the Disaster Relief Industry in Africa.  (Indiana University Press,1998, $21) One of the best critiques of humanitarian assistance with a decent historical perspective

Other resources online

PubMed: Useful for articles on the history of epidemics and health relief, as well as famine and other disasters. This site provides access to Index Medicus, the bibliography of journal articles, including many on the History of Medicine, maintained by the National Library of Medicine. This is a good source of articles published on the history of medicine since 1964, but not all inclusive. Click here to try the on-line version of Index Catalog of medical publications before 1964. It requires some practice, so contact the instructor for help, if necessary.

Historical Abstracts/American History and Life : The most complete databases of articles on history in general, requires your IUPUI userid and password.

ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2001) The full text of the New York Times, searchable by key words, dates, etc. [Note: requires login with student ID and Password]

The London Times, 1785-1985 Full text and searchable online database of the London Times. [Note: requires login with student ID and Password]

Readers Guide Retrospective On-line version of the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature: an index of articles appearing in 371 popular American magazines and other periodicals [available through University Library electronic databases, be sure to select "Readers Guide Retro."]

Emergency Events Database- EM-DAT. EM-DAT

EMDAT contains essential core data on the occurrence and effects of over 12,800 mass disasters in the world from 1900 to present. The database is compiled from various sources, including UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, insurance companies, research institutes and press agencies.

Global Conflict Trends

Global and regional warfare and governance trends graphs, recently updated through 2007

Academic Search Premier (available through University Library Electronic Databases, if link does not work)

Philanthropic Studies Index

Course Requirements

Undergraduate

Short paper, 3-5 pp. (20%) [Click here for details]

Midterm exam (35%)

Analytical paper, 8-10pp. (25%) [Click here for details]

Take-home final essay (15%)

Class Grade (5%)

Graduate

Short paper, 5 pp. (20%) [Click here for details]

Midterm exam (30%)

Research paper, 20-25pp. (45%) [Click here for details]

Class Grade (5%)

Be sure you understand the school's policy on plagiarism (cheating). Those guilty of it will be dealt with in accordance with the regulations spelled out in the Student Code of Conduct available at http://life.iupui.edu/dos/code.htm.

To contact the instructor outside of class:

OFFICE HOURS: CA-406, or by appointment
Phone: 274-7220; E-Mail: whschnei@iupui.edu [We will not use Oncourse email]

Topics and Reading Assignments
[**Note: Dates and assignments are subject to change. You will be notified in class of any changes.]

Date	Topic
Aug 25	Introduction; Definitions, current questions
	In addition to going over requirements for the course, this class will plunge us into the flood of material available about humanitarianism. It can be overwhelming and confusing, but the purpose is to engage everyone with the subject and sort out  some of the main contemporary issues. In the process we will seek some common understanding of terms, an appreciation of the importance of historical understanding (or lack thereof), and begin to develop an overview of the history (periods, main developments, and actors). Overview of the History of International Humanitarian Assistance Read the following in advance of the first class, if possible; otherwise read after class: William Schneider, "A chronology of developments in 19th and 20th centuries" William Schneider, "The History of international Humanitarian Assistance" includes extensive Bibliography (available at University Library course reserves) Recommended: read one or two of the following short articles as examples of the contemporary discussion: Will R. Dombrowski, “Again and Again: Is a Disaster What We Call a Disaster?” in E.L. Quarantelli, ed., What Is Disaster? (London: Routledge, 1998),  pp. 19-30 (available at University Library course reserves) Hugo Slim, “A Call to Alms: Humanitarian Action and the Art of War” (February 2004) http://www.hdcentre.org/files/Call%20to%20alms.pdf Gregg Easterbrook, “The End of War?” New Republic, (5/30/2005), 232:18-21 (available through University Library online journals) Pewter Walker, et al., “Smoke and Mirrors: Deficiencies in Disaster Funding,” BMJ (2005), 330:247-50 (available through University Library online journals)

Sep 1	Labor Day (no class)
Sep 8	The Roots and Philosophical Origins of Modern humanitarianism
	Guest: Dr. Ellen Einterz (Click here for more information about guest) This class will examine the underlying changes during the Enlightenment in the 18th century that led to a different perspective on the world including a new humanitarian view. Two case studies from the late 18th and early 19th century will be examined to illustrate these changes: the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 and the slave trade abolition movement that began in England at the end of the 18th century. The following will set the scene for the beginning of modern humanitarianism: Maurice Parmelee, “The Rise of Modern Humanitarianism,” The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 21, No. 3. (Nov., 1915), pp. 345-359 (available through University Library online journals) An older, almost quaint but still relevant view. Thomas L. Haskell, “Capitalism and the Origins of Humanitarian Sensibility,” American Historical Review, 90 (1985), 339-61; 547-66 (available through University Library online journals) Note: This is heavy going but worth the investment in time. Undergraduates read the first article at least, and use the article by Parmelee as a help. The following illustrate two cases of humanitarianism at the end of the 18th century: C. R. Boxer, "Some Contemporary Reactions to the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755," Revista da faculdade de Letras de Lisboa, 22 (1956), 5-21 (available at University Library course reserves) Click here for a translation of the passage by Voltaire at end of article; click here for full text of Voltaire, "Poem on the Lisbon Disaster": Jerome Reich, “The Slave Trade at the Congress Of Vienna - A Study in English Public Opinion,” Journal of Negro History 1968 53(2): 129-143. (available through University Library online journals) For some basic facts see the article in The Independent (London),  Mar 23, 2007  by Andy McSmith, "Was Wilberforce really responsible for the abolition of the slave?" Timeline to the Abolition of the Slave Trade Recommended: Allen and Allen, World History, "The Ascendancy of Reason: The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightment," 95-111; "Africa before the Great Scramble," 208-215

Date	Topic
Sep 15	Background: Humanitarianism without institutions, 1815-1856: Irish famine relief and health auxiliaries in the Crimean War
	This class will examine two events in the first half of the 19th century that elicited humanitarian assitance: the Irish famine and the Crimean War. Both occurred before the establishment of formal international institutions. Harvey Strum, “South Carolina and Irish Famine Relief, 1846-47,”  South Carolina Historical Magazine 2002 103(2): 130-152 (available at University Library course reserves) For background, see the following BBC website: The Irish Famine by Jim Donnelly, or read the following: T E Jordan, "'An awful visitation of Providence': The Irish Famine of 1845-49," Journal of the Royal Society of Health, 117 (1997), 216-27 (available at University Library course reserves) John Shelton Curtiss, ‘Russian Sisters of Mercy in the Crimea, 1854-1855’, Slavic Review, vol. 25, no. 1 (Mar., 1966), pgs. 84-100 (available at University Library course reserves) Helen Rappaport, "The Invitation that Never Came: Mary Seacole after the Crimea,", History Today, 55 (2005), 9-15. (Click here) See the following website for background on the Florence Nightengale Crimean War (see also timeline and map of Crimean War)

Date	Topic
Sep 22	The Rise of the Red Cross
	Guest: Prof. Susanne Klausen (Click here for more information about guest) The Red Cross is the best known organization in the modern era providing humanitarian assistance around the world. It has usually enjoyed an image of benificence, duly promoted by its own publications. In the last 30 years, however, it has come under closer scrutiny and criticism, beginning with its relations with the Nazis during the Second World War and its role in the Nigerian Civil War. Historians have also reexamined its origins, and this class will look at two views of the beginnings of the Red Cross. Background video: "Henry Dunant: Du Rouge sur la Croix" (2005) Exceprts from the video will show the romanticized "official" version of Red Cross history. On the first 50 years of the Red Cross, see the following at the websiteof the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): “From the battle of Solferino to the eve of the First World War” Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field. Geneva, 22 August 1864 Signature of the Geneva Convention of 22 August 1864 - painting by Armand Dumaresq John F. Hutchinson, “Rethinking the origins of the Red Cross,” Bulletin of the History of Medicine 1989 Winter;63(4):557-78 (available at University Library course reserves) A view that challenges the "official" Red Cross history

Date	Topic
Sep 29	Examples of International Assistance, 1860-1914
	Guest: Leslie Cunningham, Ambassadors for Children (Click here for more information about guest) Paper due: response to disaster at end of 19th century. [Click here for details.] Read both articles below and then pick one of the two following topics and write a paper comparing our current understanding (based on historical scholarship) and reporting at the time in the newspaper press (London Times and New York Times) George S. Queen, "American Relief in the Russian Famine of 1891-1892," Russian Review, 14 (No. 2, Apr., 1955), 140-150 Example of London Times report, "The Russian Famine," November 10, 1891 (available through University Library online journals) John Evangelist Walsh, “Forgotten Angel: The Story of Janet Jennings and the Seneca,” Wisconsin Magazine of History, Summer 1989, pp 267-293 (click here) Example of New York Times report, "Red Cross Work In Cuba," July 23, 1898 (available through University Library online journals) Recommended: Moorehead, Dunant's Dream, 87-118 (graduate students also 51-86)

Date	Topic
Oct 6	Natural disasters, 1860-1914: famine, plague and colonial rule
	Guest: Dr. Mercy Obeime (Click here for more information about guest) This class examines some broader influences on humanitarian assistance by the end of the 19th century: colonial rule and the growth in international organizations. F. S. L. Lyons, "Part IV: The Humanitarian Impulse," Internationalism in Europe, 1815-1914 (Sythoff-Leyden: A. W. Sythoff, 1963), pp 263-307 (available at University Library course reserves) Gilbert Rist, The History of Development (Zed Books, 2002), Chapter 3, "The Making of the World System," 47-68 Two cases of responses in the colonial setting: famine and leprosy Passmore, R. “Famine in India: an Historical Survey.”  Lancet, Vol.2, issue 7 (18 August 1951) : 303-7 (available at University Library course reserves) David Hall-Matthews,”Historical Roots of relief Paradigms,” Disasters, 20 (1996), 216-30 (available at University Library course reserves) MichaelWorboys, "The Colonial World as Mission and Mandate: Leprosy and Empire, 1900-1940," Osiris 2000 15: 207-218 (available through University Library online journals) Recommended: Allen and Allen, World History, "The West and the 'White Man's Burden'," 250-270 Animated Atlas of African History Asia in 1914 Moorehead, Dunant's Dream, 149-74 (graduate students also 119-48)