Public Health and Humanitarian Action

Humanitarian action has come to occupy a central place in world politics. Increasingly grounded in rights rather than charity, international assistance and protection are expected to reach people affected by disasters, organized violence, climate change, and other emergencies in a timely, informed, and impartial manner. Global wealth suggests that such a response is possible; global morality suggests that it is necessary. 

This course examines efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and protection in crisis-affected settings. It considers the political, technical, organizational, moral, and ethical forces that shape humanitarian action, as well as the distortions and performance challenges that continue to compromise effective and impartial response. While public health practice often focuses on technical and organizational capacity, this course emphasizes that political and ethical dimensions are equally central to alleviating human suffering. Combining theory with practice, the course explores the constraints and possibilities of humanitarian action from the perspectives of humanitarian agencies, field professionals, and people affected by crisis. Students will examine the principles guiding humanitarian response and their influence on evidence-based decision-making across key public health priorities. The course also addresses the need for sustainable approaches in protracted crises and emerging challenges, including climate change and efforts to decolonize the aid sector. Students will engage current trends and debates, take and defend positions, and contribute actively to a participatory learning environment.