Celebrating Oxford’s first post in Peace studies
All are welcome to come along to Dr Melanie Sauter's Inaugural Seminar as Levin Junior Research Fellow in Peace Studies at LMH, and to celebrate the University of Oxford's first post in Peace Studies.
Dr Sauter will speak on: Humanitarian Aid in Autocracies: the risk of Compromised Neutrality
Abstract:
The paradox of humanitarian neutrality is that when humanitarians adhere to neutrality, they can be perceived as less neutral by conflicting parties. By providing aid to all, including perceived enemies, and navigating blurred lines with various military actors, humanitarians face challenges in either maintaining or signalling neutrality. In my book manuscript, I challenge the prevailing assumption that non-state armed groups are the primary obstacle to humanitarian access. Instead, I demonstrate that autocratic governments and foreign military interventions often pose greater threats to the neutrality of humanitarian actors. Through empirical case studies, the study shows the repercussions for humanitarian actors and examines their varied approaches in managing these complexities in the field.
This event is free to attend, and there is no registration required.
About the Levin JRF in Peace Studies
The three-year post is named in memory of Jerry and Sis Levin, who dedicated their lives to the search for peace following Jerry’s kidnapping in the 1980s in Beirut when he was CNN bureau chief. The Levin JRF is endowed by the Levins’ children: Suzelle Smith (1977, MPhil Politics and LMH Visiting Fellow), Florence Selman, Isabelle Herring, Clare Thomas, and Clarence Moss. The post is intended not only to support the research aspirations of an early career academic, but to foster closer links between the world of teaching and research and the wider national and international environment.