Media / Celebrities
Name an example of a celebrity in the media we discussed in class who engages in humanitarian consumption / action.
George Clooney in Sudan, Kony 2012, #nonwhitesaviors video
Through which crisis does Fast examine the concept of securitization?
Suicide bomber attack on the ICRC offices in Afghanistan in 2013.
Define voluntourism
A form of tourism in which travelers participate in voluntary work, typically for a charity.
In what year did the United States withdraw troops from Afghanistan?
2021
What is a PRT and what do they do?
Provincial reconstruction team; military personnel sent out to villages to do aid work; combination of the role of a soldier and humanitarian aid worker.
selective portrayal, certain areas are more prone to violence than others, potentially short term, the types of coverage being presented (humanizing or dehumanizing), lack of context (political context)
What does the securitization of aid compromise in humanitarian crises and what does it tend to lead to?
The securitization of aid compromises the neutral and impartial nature of humanitarian assistance, often leading to violence against workers.
Explain the thinking / rationale behind the myth that voluntourism creates dependency
Volunteers creates a power imbalance (white savior), short-term solutions and long-term impact differences, creates economic disruption and the implications of perception of volunteers.
When did the "CNN effect" first occur in terms of presenting media-driven humanitarianism?
1990s
How does Dr. Lischer argue how aid is presented in the crisis in Afghanistan? How does she characterize the aid?
Aid is inherently political; non-neutrality is very apparent
What is the 'CNN effect' debate?
24 hour news coverage cycle, everyone in the world could see what was going on. When people see news, they will pressure government policy and they gain more agency for policy-making when it comes to humanitarian action.
Describe Fast's 'consent-based' approach to securitization
List 2 reasons for the argument of how voluntourism can be beneficial
Inspires further action and empathy, learning from others (culturally) and creating relationships, economic benefit of tourism, resume booster, boost morale of locals, publicize needs that are there for locals.
Which media host covered the first aired coverage of humanitarian action and what crisis did CNN cover?
Wolf Blitzer, the Gulf War
How is the aid within refugee camps in Pakistan from humanitarian organizations characterized?
Define neoliberalism and its context with celebrities and humanitarianism.
neoliberalism = creating markets and consumption, allowing markets to decide the outcomes; unequal playing field
Neoliberalism commodified all that has never before been treated as a commodity, forcing markets to exist where they shouldn't.
commodification of humanitarian aid -- consumer culture and what will make people act
Puzzle 1: Why are aid workers being attacked? Are these attacks increasing in frequency?
Puzzle 2: What are the costs and opportunities of humanitarian presence?
List at least 2 reasons for the argument that there should be no voluntourism
creates more problems (net negative for locals), creates hierarchy, lack of efficiency, ignorance of volunteers.
In Chapter 2 of Fiona Terry's "Condemned to Repeat", she describes the _______ refugee crisis in _______ during the 19__s.
What is 1) Afghan, 2) Pakistan, and 3) 1970's
The 3 types of interventions in the context of the Force Multiplier
What is the humanitarian soldiers, aid workers as government agents, and humanitarian placebo
turn everything into a commodity that can be bought and sold, even things that were not previously considered commodities.
Celebrities will sell brands and products to raise money for charitable causes.
Thinking that market products = charitable giving
Describe the hardened approach to securitization
Protection, deterrence and remote management.
List the 5 myths about volunteering abroad
Only volunteers benefit, volunteers hurt local economies, every project involves children in developing countries, all volunteers are college students, voluntourism creates dependency
When was the Live Aid concert and what was its purpose?
1985, a charity concert intended to address the humanitarian crisis of the ongoing famine occurring in Ethiopia.
humanitarian soldiers = hhumanitarian activity as part of a strategic plan.
aid workers as government agents = humanitarian organizations / personnel fulfill the military and political goals for sponsoring governments.
humanitarian placebo =government deploys humanitarian organizations in lieu of political or military engagement.