Researching Humanitarian Intervention

Some Lessons

Bibliographic Data

ID3916005
AuthorsThomas G Wei (0000-0002-5258-4947, The Graduate Center, CUNY, corresponding author), Thomas G Weiss (The Graduate Center, The City University of New York)
Year2001
Volume38
Issue4
Pages419-428
Publication date2001-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3433 • E-ISSN: 1460-3578
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0022343301038004001
OpenAlexW1995559642
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited20

This article calls into question how much `learning' from humanitarian catastrophes has actually taken place in the last decade - if `learning' entails fundamental changes in the ways that international responses are mounted. Eight lessons are offered for authors doing both scholarly and policy research. Three relate to the causal impact of humanitarian values (recognizing importance of ideas; distinguishing first- and second-order principles; avoiding political correctness). And five concern specific pleas for clarification in analyses (avoiding `international community'; distinguishing the roles of IGOs; rejecting best-case scenarios; moving beyond paralysis by analysis; taking care about extrapolation from today's headlines). Too much attention is paid to the differences among scholars, policy analysts, and journalists; and too little to the common ground that they occupy. Modesty is a good point of departure for the post-post-Cold War era

Economics · Humanitarian intervention · International relations · Intervention (counseling) · Order (exchange) · Point (geometry) · Political correctness · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · International Law and Human Rights · Law · Peacebuilding and International Security · Psychology · Social Psychology