Moving On? The Act of Remembering Humanitarian Aid and the Shaping of Normative Experiences

Humanitarian aid norms in the 1990s were significantly shaped by the experiences and reflections of field workers from the 1980s, particularly those working in refugee camps. This study reveals how these early experiences, captured through interviews, oral histories, and archives, influenced the development of humanitarian industry rulebooks and the legitimacy of its actors. The research highlights the cultural capital derived from fieldwork and how it was instrumentalized to establish normative standards. Additionally, it explores the memorialization process through a case study of Médecins sans Frontières' exhibition in Cambodia (2020-21), demonstrating how experience and legitimacy were historicized and preserved.

Taithe, B. (2024). Moving On? The Act of Remembering Humanitarian Aid and the Shaping of Normative Experiences. Emotions: History, Culture, Society, 9(1), 123–146. https://doi.org/10.1163/2208522x-bja10065