Periodic Report Summary 1 - THE SPACE OF CRISIS (The Space of Crisis: Towards a Critical Geography of Complex Humanitarian Emergencies)
Summary of project objectives
This project aims to develop the research skills and expertise of the researcher through the supervised implementation of an advanced research project. Through the implementation of this research project, under the guidance of a group of eminent experts, through the exposure of the researcher to a new scholarly environment in which he may engage with new networks of experts and scholars working in related fields and through the development of writing and presentation skills this project it is envisaged that he researcher will develop the skills and expertise necessary for him to build a secure career as a senior research scientist in the field of human geography or humanitarian studies.
The research project itself aims to develop a geographical critique of contemporary humanitarian emergencies within the context of contemporary globalization by developing a theoretical approach that is rooted in the traditions of political ecology, historical geographical materialism, governmentality theory and assemblage theory, making particular use of the concept of the production of space. Using a grounded theory approach the project will harness primary research data gathered from three recent complex humanitarian emergencies in Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo) to build a theoretical approach to understanding the nature of such events as explicitly geographical phenomena.
Description of the work performed since the beginning of the project
To date the project has progressed in line with the work plan, without significant deviation. The following activities have so far been completed
1. The researcher has undertaken a review of his doctoral thesis, revising his findings, identifying data for inclusion in this project and drawing out hypotheses to be tested
2. Through a process of supervised literature review the researcher has developed a detailed theoretical framework for the analysis of complex humanitarian emergencies in Africa by articulating theoretical approaches to the analysis of the constitutive production of space, bodies and subjectivities under conditions of contemporary globalisation
3. The researcher has taken part in a wide range of advanced research seminars both within the partner institution and at other advanced research institutions
4. The researcher has developed new networks with experts and academics in the partner institution and at other advanced research institutions
5. The researcher finalised a detailed work plan for the implementation of field research and made practical arrangements for its implementation
6. Through a process of supervised literature review the researcher made a detailed analysis of the historical, political, social and economic conditions prevailing within the two identified case study sites (northern Kenya and eastern DRC)
7. The researcher received structured supervision on the project from a number of experts at the partner institution
8. The researcher has implemented a series of structured interviews with relevant international humanitarian agency staff located in New York City and Geneva
9. The researcher has undertaken a training course on the application of permaculture techniques for the assessment of political ecological conditions in the case study sites
10. The researcher presented four papers based upon his research at the 2nd World Conference on Humanitarian Affairs in Boston in June 2011
11. The researcher has been commissioned to draft a research paper for inclusion in a special edition of the scholarly journal Disasters on the subject of sovereignty, governmentality and the protection of internally displaced persons
12. Between October and December 2011 the researcher implemented an intensive programme of field research in Kenya, including structured elite interviews, focus group discussions, in-depth qualitative interviews and collation of grey literature
Description of the main results achieved so far
1. By articulating theoretical insights drawn from the fields of political ecology, historical geographical materialism, governmentality research and assemblage theory the researcher has developed an innovative theoretical framework for the analysis of complex humanitarian emergencies under conditions of contemporary globalisation. Rooting his analysis in a political ecological understanding of humanitarian emergencies as moments of violent rupture in the spatially grounded networks of socio-natural relations that govern the reproduction of human life this framework draws particularly upon the Lefebvrian notion of “the production of space” to show how the nature of such ruptures both reflect and inscribe the dynamic transformation of socio-economic and political-ecological relations that stretch from the local to the global, but which are always already grounded in the constant (re)production of material places, bodies and subjectivities. By considering this finding in the light of recent research on governmentality the researcher has extended the work of Michael Watts on ‘governable spaces’ to show how the nature of complex humanitarian emergencies conceived as dynamic networks of socio-natural relations are produced through the contested articulation in particular places of different regimes of practices that exercise different forms of power to produce spaces, bodies and subjects in starkly different ways, often with violent consequences.
2. By applying analytical tools drawn from governmentality theory (Foucault, Dean, Rabinow & Rose etc) the researcher has completed a detailed genealogy of the development of international policy and practice on the protection of people forcibly displaced from their homes by armed conflict, generalised violence and human rights violations, otherwise known as ‘internally displaced persons’. This analysis shows that internal displacement policy constitutes a powerful apparatus of an increasingly powerful global apparatus of biopolitical governmentality that has been instrumental in justifying deeply political challenges to the prevailing regime of sovereign state power by the institutions and actors of global liberal governance in the name of the life and health of displaced people.
3. Based upon three months field research in Isiolo Kenya to examine the causes and consequence of a serious conflict-related humanitarian emergency in the region, the researcher has identified that contrary to prevailing wisdom the crisis has been caused by the conjunction of a range of complex factors that are rooted in national government plans to achieve middle-income country status through the implementation of a regional development plan for Isiolo county. This plan has stimulated long standing rivalries between ethnic groups and political leaders who have mobilised violence in their efforts to gain access to critical resources, particularly land.
Expected final results and their potential impact and use (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far).
The project will provide an innovative, empirically grounded theoretical apparatus for understanding the political geographical drivers of complex humanitarian crises in Africa. This will be of use to governments, international donors, non-governmental organisations and civil society members in improving and refining their understanding of such crises and will provide recommendations on how to respond in a more effective manner.
This project aims to develop the research skills and expertise of the researcher through the supervised implementation of an advanced research project. Through the implementation of this research project, under the guidance of a group of eminent experts, through the exposure of the researcher to a new scholarly environment in which he may engage with new networks of experts and scholars working in related fields and through the development of writing and presentation skills this project it is envisaged that he researcher will develop the skills and expertise necessary for him to build a secure career as a senior research scientist in the field of human geography or humanitarian studies.
The research project itself aims to develop a geographical critique of contemporary humanitarian emergencies within the context of contemporary globalization by developing a theoretical approach that is rooted in the traditions of political ecology, historical geographical materialism, governmentality theory and assemblage theory, making particular use of the concept of the production of space. Using a grounded theory approach the project will harness primary research data gathered from three recent complex humanitarian emergencies in Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo) to build a theoretical approach to understanding the nature of such events as explicitly geographical phenomena.
Description of the work performed since the beginning of the project
To date the project has progressed in line with the work plan, without significant deviation. The following activities have so far been completed
1. The researcher has undertaken a review of his doctoral thesis, revising his findings, identifying data for inclusion in this project and drawing out hypotheses to be tested
2. Through a process of supervised literature review the researcher has developed a detailed theoretical framework for the analysis of complex humanitarian emergencies in Africa by articulating theoretical approaches to the analysis of the constitutive production of space, bodies and subjectivities under conditions of contemporary globalisation
3. The researcher has taken part in a wide range of advanced research seminars both within the partner institution and at other advanced research institutions
4. The researcher has developed new networks with experts and academics in the partner institution and at other advanced research institutions
5. The researcher finalised a detailed work plan for the implementation of field research and made practical arrangements for its implementation
6. Through a process of supervised literature review the researcher made a detailed analysis of the historical, political, social and economic conditions prevailing within the two identified case study sites (northern Kenya and eastern DRC)
7. The researcher received structured supervision on the project from a number of experts at the partner institution
8. The researcher has implemented a series of structured interviews with relevant international humanitarian agency staff located in New York City and Geneva
9. The researcher has undertaken a training course on the application of permaculture techniques for the assessment of political ecological conditions in the case study sites
10. The researcher presented four papers based upon his research at the 2nd World Conference on Humanitarian Affairs in Boston in June 2011
11. The researcher has been commissioned to draft a research paper for inclusion in a special edition of the scholarly journal Disasters on the subject of sovereignty, governmentality and the protection of internally displaced persons
12. Between October and December 2011 the researcher implemented an intensive programme of field research in Kenya, including structured elite interviews, focus group discussions, in-depth qualitative interviews and collation of grey literature
Description of the main results achieved so far
1. By articulating theoretical insights drawn from the fields of political ecology, historical geographical materialism, governmentality research and assemblage theory the researcher has developed an innovative theoretical framework for the analysis of complex humanitarian emergencies under conditions of contemporary globalisation. Rooting his analysis in a political ecological understanding of humanitarian emergencies as moments of violent rupture in the spatially grounded networks of socio-natural relations that govern the reproduction of human life this framework draws particularly upon the Lefebvrian notion of “the production of space” to show how the nature of such ruptures both reflect and inscribe the dynamic transformation of socio-economic and political-ecological relations that stretch from the local to the global, but which are always already grounded in the constant (re)production of material places, bodies and subjectivities. By considering this finding in the light of recent research on governmentality the researcher has extended the work of Michael Watts on ‘governable spaces’ to show how the nature of complex humanitarian emergencies conceived as dynamic networks of socio-natural relations are produced through the contested articulation in particular places of different regimes of practices that exercise different forms of power to produce spaces, bodies and subjects in starkly different ways, often with violent consequences.
2. By applying analytical tools drawn from governmentality theory (Foucault, Dean, Rabinow & Rose etc) the researcher has completed a detailed genealogy of the development of international policy and practice on the protection of people forcibly displaced from their homes by armed conflict, generalised violence and human rights violations, otherwise known as ‘internally displaced persons’. This analysis shows that internal displacement policy constitutes a powerful apparatus of an increasingly powerful global apparatus of biopolitical governmentality that has been instrumental in justifying deeply political challenges to the prevailing regime of sovereign state power by the institutions and actors of global liberal governance in the name of the life and health of displaced people.
3. Based upon three months field research in Isiolo Kenya to examine the causes and consequence of a serious conflict-related humanitarian emergency in the region, the researcher has identified that contrary to prevailing wisdom the crisis has been caused by the conjunction of a range of complex factors that are rooted in national government plans to achieve middle-income country status through the implementation of a regional development plan for Isiolo county. This plan has stimulated long standing rivalries between ethnic groups and political leaders who have mobilised violence in their efforts to gain access to critical resources, particularly land.
Expected final results and their potential impact and use (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far).
The project will provide an innovative, empirically grounded theoretical apparatus for understanding the political geographical drivers of complex humanitarian crises in Africa. This will be of use to governments, international donors, non-governmental organisations and civil society members in improving and refining their understanding of such crises and will provide recommendations on how to respond in a more effective manner.