The Making of the Humanitarian NGO Sector
Wednesday, June 15, 12:00-1:00 p.m. EST
Harvard Alumni for Global Development (HAGD) will be hosting a virtual webinar on June 15th, at 12 p.m. ET. Shai Dromi, a lecturer with Harvard’s Department of Sociology (www.shaidromi.com), will be sharing insights from his recent book: Above the Fray: The Red Cross and the Making of the Humanitarian NGO Sector.
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Descriptions about Above the Fray: “From Lake Chad to Iraq, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) provide relief around the globe, and their scope is growing every year. Policy makers and activists often assume that humanitarian aid is best provided by these organizations, which are generally seen as impartial and neutral. In Above the Fray, Shai M. Dromi investigates why the international community overwhelmingly trusts humanitarian NGOs by looking at the historical development of their culture. With a particular focus on the Red Cross, Dromi reveals that NGOs arose because of the efforts of orthodox Calvinists, demonstrating for the first time the origins of the unusual moral culture that has supported NGOs for the past 150 years.
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Drawing on archival research, Dromi traces the genesis of the Red Cross to a Calvinist movement working in mid-nineteenth-century Geneva. He shows how global humanitarian policies emerged from the Red Cross founding members’ faith that an international volunteer program not beholden to the state was the only ethical way to provide relief to victims of armed conflict. By illustrating how Calvinism shaped the humanitarian field, Dromi argues for the key role belief systems play in establishing social fields and institutions. Ultimately, Dromi shows the immeasurable social good that NGOs have achieved, but also points to their limitations and suggests that alternative models of humanitarian relief need to be considered.”
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All are invited. If interested in attending, complete this Registration Form and share with others. For more info, contact harvardalumniglobaldevelopment@gmail.com.
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Speaker Name: Shai M. Dromi, shai.dromi@g.harvard.edu, www.shaidromi.com
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Speaker Bio: Shai Dromi is a comparative-historical sociologist researching the role of religion and cultural beliefs in creating civil society organizations and movements. He has researched and published on civic associations such as international humanitarian organizations, environmental and political movements, and human rights groups. Currently he is a lecturer for the Department of Sociology at Harvard University, teaching courses on organizations, global and transnational sociology, cultural sociology, and sociological theory. His recent book, Above the Fray: The Red Cross and the Making of the Humanitarian NGO Sector, examines the origins and development of the humanitarian relief NGO Field, and draws on archival research at the International Committee of the Red Cross and related repositories.