Books in the Routledge Humanitarian Studies series

Despite the key importance of accountability for the legitimacy of humanitarian action, inadequate academic attention has been given to how the concept of accountability is evolving within the specific branches of the humanitarian enterprise. Up to now, there exists no comprehensive account of what we label the ''technologies of accountability'', the effects of their interaction, or the question of how the current turn to decision-making software and biometrics as both the means and ends of accountability may contribute to reshaping humanitarian governance. UNHCR and the Struggle for Accountability explores the UNHCR''s quest for accountability by viewing the UNHCR''s accountability obligations through the web of institutional relationships within which the agency is placed (beneficiaries, host governments, implementing partners, donors, the Executive Committee and UNGA). The book takes a multidisciplinary approach in order to illuminate the various layers and relationships that constitute accountability and also to reflect on what constitutes good enough accountability. This book contributes to the discussion regarding how we construct knowledge about concepts in humanitarian studies and is a valuable resource for academics, researchers and professionals in the areas of anthropology, history, international relations, international law, science, technology studies and socio-legal studies.

This book applies the concept of human security to the specific case of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident that struck Japan on 11 March 2011, which has come to be known as Japan¿s `triple disaster¿. This left more than 15,000 people dead, displaced more than 300,000, and was the most expensive natural disaster in recorded history. This volume illustrates the different forms of human insecurity that appeared and were exacerbated, as well as more encouraging signs of human empowerment and reform that have also occurred. The book develops the human security approach not only through extending it to natural disasters, but also by demonstrating how it can be developed by adopting an interdisciplinary perspective.

This book applies the concept of human security to the specific case of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident that struck Japan on 11 March 2011, which has come to be known as Japan¿s `triple disaster¿. This left more than 15,000 people dead, displaced more than 300,000, and was the most expensive natural disaster in recorded history. This volume illustrates the different forms of human insecurity that appeared and were exacerbated, as well as more encouraging signs of human empowerment and reform that have also occurred. The book develops the human security approach not only through extending it to natural disasters, but also by demonstrating how it can be developed by adopting an interdisciplinary perspective.

This book develops human security not only through extending it to natural disasters, but also by demonstrating how it can be developed by adopting an interdisciplinary approach. To date, the interdisciplinary dimension of human security has not received sufficient attention. The book demonstrates the value of drawing on a wide range of voices and examines the vulnerability of social groups and communities in the event of a disaster, and how they collectively empower themselves to prevent, respond to and recover from disasters.

Humanitarian crises, whether they result from conflict, natural disaster or political collapse are usually perceived as complete breaks from normality, spurring special emergency policies and interventions. This book questions this assumption, arguing that there are both continuities and discontinuities between crisis and normality. Using a wealth of international case studies from a team of leading experts, the book examines what this means for the social and political dynamics of institutional response, international policy and aid interventions in crises.

Humanitarian crises, whether they result from conflict, natural disaster or political collapse are usually perceived as complete breaks from normality, spurring special emergency policies and interventions. This book questions this assumption, arguing that there are both continuities and discontinuities between crisis and normality. Using a wealth of international case studies from a team of leading experts, the book examines what this means for the social and political dynamics of institutional response, international policy and aid interventions in crises.