Here is an assortment of articles that I have written/published in my professional capacity (i.e., related to humanitarian and development work).

• MSF-OCB’S Ebola Interventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (2018-2020), by Marc DuBois and Edward Rackley. December 2021 final report of evaluation of the MSF’s Belgium operational centre’s respose to three different ebola interventions in DRC. 

Here is the link to the evaluation report: MSF-OCB’s Ebola Interventions in DRC 

•  Ethical guidance or epistemological injustice? The quality and usefulness of ethical guidance for humanitarian workers and agencies. (Sheather, J, DuBois et al. 2021). Published by BMJ Global Health. This paper explores the quality and usefulness of ethical guidance for humanitarian aid workers and their agencies. The purpose of the project was to identify how front-line workers respond to ethical challenges, including any informal or local decision-making processes, support networks, or habits of response.  The research findings highlighted a dissonance between ethical guidance and the experiences of front-line humanitarian health workers. They suggest the possibility: (1) that few problems confronting front-line workers are conceived, described, or resolved as ethical problems; and (2) of significant dissonance between available, allegedly practically oriented guidance (often produced by academics in North America and Europe), and the immediate issues confronting front-line workers.

  Here is the link to the paper: Ethical guidance or epistemological injustice? 
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• Lone Ranger No Longer: MSF’s engagement with Ministries of health. November 2020, Sean Healy, Marc DuBois, et al. A critical review of how MSF partners, collaborates and otherwise engages with Ministries of Health. 

Here is the link to the report: Lone Ranger No Longer

• Preparing humanitarians to address ethical problems. (DuBois et al. 2020). Published by Conflict & Health. Infectious disease outbreaks represent potentially catastrophic threats to those affected by humanitarian crises. High transmissibility, crowded living conditions, widespread co-morbidities, and a lack of intensive care capacity may amplify the effects of the outbreak on already vulnerable populations and present humanitarian actors with intense ethical problems. We argue that there are significant and troubling gaps in ethical awareness at the level of humanitarian praxis. Though some ethical guidance does exist most of it is directed at public health experts and fails to speak to the day-to-day ethical challenges confronted by frontline humanitarians. In responding to infectious disease outbreaks humanitarian workers are likely to grapple with complex dilemmas opening the door to moral distress and burnout.

Here is the link to Preparing humanitarians to address ethical problems.

• The Triple Nexus – Threat or Opportunity for the Humanitarian Principles. Published by the Centre for Humanitarian Action (Berlin). The humanitarian objection to the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus (HDP or Triple Nexus) brings three sectors into closer alignment. Humanitarians have objected to the implementation and even conceptual basis of this policy initiative on the basis that it contradicts the humanitarian principles. This discussion paper unpacks that argument. More ambitiously, the paper sees the potential for ‘Nexus-thinking’, as opposed to a more institutional focus of nexus, can actually improve the humanitarian sector’s operational impact and its respect for its principles. Further, that the sector must capitalise on Nexus-thinking to help strengthen the value, interpretation, and operationalisation of the principle of humanity, which holds within it human dignity and a power to transform humanitarian action.

Here is a link to The Triple Nexus – Threat or Opportunity for the Humanitarian Principles.

• The New Humanitarian Basics. Critical analysis of the international humanitarian aid system has arrived at the conclusion that it is time to let go of power; it is time to rethink humanitarian crisis response and allow a transformation it has simultaneously coveted and stifled. But if not the present system, then what? And how do we get from here to there? This paper confronts these questions as part of HPG’s research project on ‘Constructive Deconstruction: Rethinking the Humanitarian Architecture’.

Here is a link to The New Humanitarian Basics.

• Rapid Real-Time Review: DFID Somalia Drought Response. Co-authored with Paul Harvey and Glyn Taylor.  This report looks at DFID’s response to the droughts in Somalia. Research findings support the observation that DFID helped to galvanise other donors and action on the part of the overall humanitarian system. Recommendations, lessons learnt and main areas of improvement are identified and highlighted by the research team.

Here is a link to the PDF.  DFID Somalia Drought Response.

• The Cost of Coherence. This report was published as part of  MSF-Spain’s Emergency Gap Series of reports.  The paper responds to the World Humanitarian Summit’s misguided attempt to shift the humanitarian paradigm, as described in its flagship report, One Humanity: Shared Responsibility. Humanitarian action should not be placed within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the long history of failed attempts at creating a coherent system must be understood rather than ignored.  The report, though, is less about the WHS than the role of humanitarian action, its responsiveness to the needs of people in crisis and in particular its relationship with development.

Here is a link to the PDF. The Cost of Coherence.

• Humanitarian Priorities for People in Crises: The foundations for a more effective response. Based on research and a set of three roundtable discussions, a companion piece to “On the Right Track” (see below) — a closer look at humanitarian performance when it comes to protection, principles and accountability

Here is the link to the PDF. Humanitarian Priorities

• On the Right Track? Reasserting the priorities of humanitarian action. (Lead author). Published by HERE-Geneva in May 2016. A paper aimed at the World Humanitarian Summit, and a call for dealing with the fundamental issues of protection, the principles and accountability.

Here is a link to the PDF. On the Right Track?

• The Ebola Response in West Africa: Exposing the politics and culture of international aid. (Lead author) Published by ODI/HPG in October 2015. A critical look at humanitarian response through the lens of the Ebola outbreak.

Here is a link to the PDF.  The Ebola Response in West Africa

• Protection: The New Humanitarian Fig-leaf.  Published 2008 on the Groupe URD website.  It is a critical look at the concept and practice of humanitarian protection.

Here is the PDF.  Protection: The New Humanitarian Fig-leaf

• Protection: Fig-leaves and other delusions.  An update in thinking on the original article (#1, above}.  Published 2010 by ODI’s Humanitarian Practice Network.

Here is the article: Protection: Fig-leaves and other delusions

• Civilian Protection and Humanitarian Advocacy: Strategies and (False) Dilemmas. Published in ODI Humanitarian Practice Network’s Humanitarian Exchange, Issue 39, June 2008.  This article looks in detail at building strong humanitarian advocacy, and dealing with the difficulties therein.

Here is a link to the article.

• The Governance of the Third World: A Foucauldian Perspective on Power Relations in Government.  Published in Alternatives, way back in 1991.  Back when I actually had time to think about stuff!

Here is the pdf:  Governance of the Third World