Presenter(s): Momo Wilms-Crowe − Political Science, International Studies
Faculty Mentor(s): Nick Macdonald
Oral Session 4M
Research Area: Social Science
Funding: CURE Travel Grant, Carnegie Global Oregon Summer Research Grant, Oxford Consortium for Human Rights Fellowship.
The aid world has long been characterized by top-down, donor-directed programs based on largely context-nonspecific tenets and universalizable methods. Traditionally, a complex web of bureaucracy has separated the recipients of aid from the decision makers and there has been a stark divide between short-term needs alleviation and long-term development. Yet, in an ever more complex world with changing needs, these mechanisms are increasingly out of date, held into question by scholars, humanitarian workers, major donors, and global leaders alike. This project explores the changing nature of humanitarian aid through a case-study analysis of one organization in Northern Greece working to support Syrian asylum seekers and refugees. In addition, I include a comparison to programs running in Turkey and Jordan that similarly emphasize a linking of relief, rehabilitation, and development (LRRD) model. Drawing on historical research, fieldwork findings, and humanitarian literature, my research investigates the drawbacks of the current aid model as described above, as well as highlights potential solutions to those problems. I conclude by outlining the need for further support of and investment in alternative models of aid, including those supporting local NGOs and innovative grassroots organizations.