Evolution, ideas and the possibility of change of the humanitarian sector

This article reflects on the research project 'Thinking about the evolution of the humanitarian sector: an exploration within the world of ideas', conducted by Raphael Gorgeu, Senior Research Associate at HERE-Geneva. The project explores the dynamics of change specific to the humanitarian sector through a socio-phenomenological approach, acknowledging the centrality of ideas in order to grasp how social reality changes. Based on a literature review of 8,000 documents from the international humanitarian system, it describes the historical evolution in the way humanitarian aid has been thought of over the period between 1991 and 2021, and reveals the presence of autonomous forces and mechanisms shaping the idea of humanitarian action over time. By introducing the approach developed for this work and discussing some of its conclusions, this article aims to be as useful for researchers as it is for humanitarian aid professionals and leaders, providing an original way to think through the logics of change specific to this sector.