Home > Academics > Concentrations > HA
Program on Humanitarian Affairs (HA)
The harrowing realities of humanitarian crises provide a strong need for a Program on Humanitarian Affairs that offers both critical reflection and education for practical action. Given the limited success of humanitarian operations, the Program fosters dialogue on the current state of humanitarian affairs and the diverse critiques it has received. It does so by placing humanitarian affairs in the broader development and geo-political context.
The overarching goal of the Humanitarian Affairs Program is to improve the quality of humanitarian action in the field through improved training of students and humanitarian agency staff, the promotion of better linkages between practitioners and theorists, and the enhancement of the role of recipients in the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs set up to assist them.
Building on the different centers of expertise at Columbia University, the Program seeks to promote inter-disciplinary research, education, and training at the university as well as in the field. It especially focuses on the experience of the local population and on practical policy, management and implementation problems. Through its research, education and training, the Program thus builds international and local capacities. In addition, it builds bridges among the American humanitarian tradition and its European counterparts.
Through the combined work of practitioners and scholars, the program provides a strong professional and intellectual basis for students at Columbia University who want to pursue a career in humanitarian affairs. Students receive education in practical skills and combine these with a solid overview of the critiques on current humanitarian practices.
Within the School of International and Public Affairs, the Program works closely with the Center for Human Rights, the Economic and Political Development concentration, the International Conflict Resolution program, and the United Nations Studies program. The program also cooperates closely with the Program for Forced Migration and Health at the School for Public Health on refugees and with the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory on the human dimensions of natural disasters.
Internationally, the Program is establishing a strong relationship with the European Network on Humanitarian Assistance (NOHA) and the United Nations University. It is also an observer member of the Interagency Forum Working to Improve Learning and Accountability in the International Humanitarian System (ALNAP) of the Overseas Development Institute in London. Ultimately, the Program will set up cooperative relationships with universities in crisis countries themselves.
Education
The overall aim is to help students obtain the professional skills and insight for working in complex humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters. In their future work, students should be able to use a strong combination of tools and conceptual approaches.
Specifically, the Program aims for students to:
have a deep understanding of the differences between rhetoric, reality, and possibilities of humanitarian action.
possess an overview of the history, issues, dilemmas and actors in humanitarian action and the combination of unique factors and recurring issues.
know the importance of a long-term development perspective and local participation for humanitarian actions.
develop an ability to build on the capacities and coping mechanisms of the local population through participatory techniques and anthropological skills in order to build self-reliance.
be able to place humanitarian actions in the broader context of development cooperation and international politics.
be able to assess shortcomings of current approaches to humanitarian actions, as well as identify conceptual and practical problems, and deal with them constructively.
know how to research, and where to find, relevant information on humanitarian emergencies, which is necessary for work in the field.
know the relationship and differences between natural and man-made disasters.
The Program has developed courses on complex emergencies and natural disasters. It actively promotes student internships in international and local humanitarian organizations. The students are also involved in the research of the Program, both at SIPA and in the field.
Research
Program research starts from the observation that although humanitarian aid can contribute to the process towards peaceful development, many humanitarian and development actions have actually undermined local coping mechanisms and accountability. As a result, these actions have often delivered insufficient results or even refueled conflict. Many actors in humanitarian interventions have exhibited insufficient understanding of the political root causes of violence and exclusion. The local actors and context generally require more attention than they have received so far.
In particular, the problems and opportunities in linking security, relief, rehabilitation, and development in order to build lasting peace and foster self-reliance need to be worked out further.
Hence, the Program employs four central research themes that are currently understudied:
Local voices:
Considerable research has focused on the outside actors, so much so that the voices of the local population have been often lost in the process. However, local action remains the first and foremost determinant for rebuilding. Local experiences, anthropological methods, and participatory mechanisms still require far more attention.Management of International Organizations:
Improving the management of international organizations remains one of the most understudied phenomena in humanitarian affairs. Scholars from International Relations, Business Administration, and Public Administration do not interact sufficiently and often take a mono-disciplinary look at these organizations. As a result, they fail to recognize the opportunities of more interdisciplinary research. In this respect, it is important to distinguish inter- and intra organizational management. Specific issues for research within organizations include organizational reform, management training, and organizational audits of international organizations. Examples of research topics among organizations include coherence, coordination, decentralization, and improving security.Implementation:
Related to the local experience and management, the issue of implementation at the field should receive more attention. New concepts can only prove their value through their implementation. For example, the implementation of codes of conduct in countries such as Sierra Leone and South Sudan, and local participation still require more research.Bridging humanitarian traditions and research in Europe and the US:
Considerable original work has been produced in Europe, especially in Great Britain and France, not only by academic scholars, but also by practitioners and journalists. Some of this work is highly critical of the US policies and organizations. More generally, humanitarian research in various countries offers different perspectives on the shortcomings of humanitarian interventions. However, interaction between different traditions and critiques has too often been absent. The Program brings together representatives and scholars from these different traditions. As stated, it will also build up linkages with universities and other organizations in crisis countries.
Practically, the Program intends to undertake longitudinal comparative research (combining both quantitative and qualitative techniques) on these four themes. The Program will build on its current experience in Guatemala, Sudan, and Sierra Leone. In this way, the research will offer invaluable insights into the interrelated processes of conflict, relief, rehabilitation and development.