British humanitarian NGOs and the disaster relief industry, 1942-1985
This thesis is a history of humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Britain, between 1942 and 1985. Specifically, it is focused upon the group of leading agencies linked to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella body for joint emergency fundraising established in the 1960s. The thesis explores the role of these NGOs in building up an expansive and technocratic disaster relief industry in Britain, in which they were embedded as instruments for the delivery of humanitarian aid. This was problematic, as many principal aid agencies also wished to move away from short-term disaster relief, to focus upon political advocacy connected to international development instead. It is argued that, despite this increasing political focus, humanitarian NGOs were consistently brought back to emergency relief by the power of television, the lack of public support for development, and the interventions of the British government. Aid agencies also actively contributed to this process, as they used apolitical disaster relief to generate public support and drive institutional growth in a crowded marketplace. This analysis complicates linear narratives of a transition from emergency relief to development
Jones, Andrew
D839 Post-war History ; 1945 on ; D880 Developing Countries ; DA Great Britain ; HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
British humanitarian NGOs and the disaster relief industry, 1942-1985. This thesis is a history of humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Britain, between 1942 and 1985. Specifically, it is focused upon the group of leading agencies linked to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella body for joint emergency fundraising established in the 1960s. The thesis explores the role of these NGOs in building up an expansive and technocratic disaster relief industry in Britain, in which they were embedded as instruments for the delivery of humanitarian aid. This was problematic, as many principal aid agencies also wished to move away from short-term disaster relief, to focus upon political advocacy connected to international development instead. It is argued that, despite this increasing political focus, humanitarian NGOs were consistently brought back to emergency relief by the power of television, the lack of public support for development, and the interventions of the British government. Aid agencies also actively contributed to this process, as they used apolitical disaster relief to generate public support and drive institutional growth in a crowded marketplace. This analysis complicates linear narratives of a transition from emergency relief to development
british humanitarian ngos disaster relief industry history humanitarian non_governmental organisation ngos britain specifically_focus upon group lead agency link emergency committee umbrella body joint emergency establish explores_role ngos building expansive disaster relief industry britain embed instrument delivery humanitarian aid problematic many principal aid agency also wish move_away short_term disaster relief focus_upon political advocacy connect international development instead argue_despite increase political focus humanitarian ngos consistently bring back emergency relief power television lack public support development intervention british_government aid agency also actively contribute process use disaster relief generate public support drive institutional growth crowd marketplace analysis linear_narrative transition emergency relief development