Humanitarian Crises: Concepts, Communication and Contestation

Traditional ideas and practices of global humanitarian action are undergoing fundamental changes in today’s polycrisis. Students will explore contemporary concepts of humanitarianism, apply them to practical communication work and familiarize themselves with a wide range of critical views on the humanitarian system. <br> The course is structured along three key modules: 1. An introduction to contemporary concepts of humanitarian theory, policy, and practice.  2. An applied exercise that helps students to develop an understanding of ethical, empathetic, and impactful communication strategies in the humanitarian field.  3. A discussion of various contestations of traditional humanitarianism, including decolonial and Southern-led perspectives, or locally based approaches in the Global North. Upon completion of the course students will have a thorough understanding of key debates around contemporary humanitarianism, global solidarity and “doing good”. Students will also create a communication product to learn first-hand what it means to engage with communication for social change. Lastly, students will be able to engage in complex debates from climate change to migration or development aid from “glocal” perspective that stress interconnectedness and social responsibility to turn support for “distant others” into global humanity.