Carceral humanitarianism: Logics of refugee detention

Abstract

"Coopted by military operations, humanitarianism has never been neutral. Rather than welcoming refugees, host countries assess the relative risks of taking them in versus turning them away, using a risk-benefit analysis that often reduces refugees to collateral damage in proxy wars fought in the war on terrorism. Carceral Humanitarianism testifies that humanitarian aid and human rights discourse are always political and partisan"--Publisher's description. Introduction : from political right to humanitarian charity -- "Rescue politics" -- Impossible testimony -- Humanitarian warfare and humanitarian aid : two sides of the same sovereign -- The Christian roots of state sovereignty -- A brief history of humanitarianism -- Contemporary humanitarian space -- Human rights discourse as alibi for humanitarian war -- Collateral damage and the lesser of evils -- Rethinking the "worst" -- A new form of genocide -- Humanitarian aid as poison and cure -- Conclusion : toward hospitality as earth ethics.