The ethical life of spontaneity: refugees' and local responders' understandings of 'Humanitarianism' in Lebanon, Jordan, and Türkiye.

Contributing to ongoing debates relating to diverse meanings and practices of humanitarianism, this article traces and examines refugees' own understandings of 'humanitarianism' as spontaneous, informal and volunteer-based acts of disinterested assistance and 'real generosity'. Such understandings s...

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Published in:Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies Vol. 52; no. 7; pp. 1744 - 1762
Main Authors: Carpi, Estella, Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, Elena, AlHelali Saab, Sara, Shaiah Istanbouli, Amal
Format: Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd Apr2026
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Apr2026
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        atl: The ethical life of spontaneity: refugees' and local responders' understandings of 'Humanitarianism' in Lebanon, Jordan, and Türkiye.
      aug:
        au:
          Carpi, Estella
          Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, Elena
          AlHelali Saab, Sara
          Shaiah Istanbouli, Amal
        affil:
          Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, UK
          Department of Geography, University College London, London, UK
      su:
        Humanitarianism
        Refugees
        Ethics
        Volunteer service
        Solidarity
        Türkiye
        Jordan
        Lebanon
      sug:
        subj:
          Türkiye
          Jordan
          Lebanon
          Humanitarianism
          Refugees
          Ethics
          Volunteer service
          Solidarity
      keyword:
        professionalisation
        refugee response
        Southern approaches
        spontaneity
      ab: Contributing to ongoing debates relating to diverse meanings and practices of humanitarianism, this article traces and examines refugees' own understandings of 'humanitarianism' as spontaneous, informal and volunteer-based acts of disinterested assistance and 'real generosity'. Such understandings specifically refer to either individually-initiated or collective acts of philanthropy and solidarity characterised by an informal and discrete, 'undisclosed' or 'invisible' nature. Dwelling on the ethics of spontaneous aid, including with regards to acts of both intra- and inter-group assistance, provides an important entry point to interrogate the epistemological foundations of hegemonic humanitarianism worldwide, which, over many decades, has repeatedly operated in spaces which remain distant from the materiality of the lives, ethics, and views of refugees.
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    language: English
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