Transnational Humanitarianism

This review traces anthropological studies of humanitarianism starting in the late 1980s, when humanitarianism began to take shape as a particular moral and political project through the formation of transnational nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). It follows both the evolving relationship of anthropologists to humanitarianism-initially as allies, then as critics, alternately embracing and challenging their conjoined humanist legacy-and the growing field of the anthropology of humanitarianism.