Faith and Humanitarianism: It's Complicated
- 18 July 2011
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Journal of Refugee Studies
- Vol. 24 (3), 606-625
- https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fer028
Abstract
This article examines the relationship between faith and humanitarianism in a variety of religious traditions, with particular emphasis on Christian and Muslim organizations. Following a brief historical overview and a short (and incomplete) description of the scale of faith-based contributions to humanitarian work, the article then addresses three issues: the distinctiveness of faith-based organizations, their professionalism, and the potential for partnerships between secular and faith-based organizations. It finds that the variety of faith-based actors makes generalizations difficult and questions the utility of the term, suggesting that differences between faith-based actors are often greater than those between secular and faith-based organizations. The article concludes by noting the need for serious academic research on faith-based humanitarian organizations and suggesting areas where future research is particularly needed.Keywords
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