An Introduction to Humanitarian Work Psychology

Humanitarian work psychology is a dynamic response to the growing humanitarian challenges, and opportunities, of our era. After introducing the field (Chapter 1) the contributions in this volume define a Conceptual basis for humanitarian work psychology, in its history (Chapter 2), theory (Chapter 3), method (Chapter 4) and ethics (Chapter 5). These conceptual foundations enable a range of Applications, for example, to the skills of development diplomacy (Chapter 6), and the enhancement of public services in health and education (Chapter 7). These and a range of other applications related to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the International Labour Organization’s Decent Work Agenda are responses to demand (Chapter 8), and supply (Chapter 9). They are fit for purposes as responses to the ongoing challenges of global recession, warming and climate change (Chapter 10). Future directions for Building Capacity through and within humanitarian work psychology include gender equity (Chapter 11), bridging the digital divide (Chapters 12 and 13) and restoring global and local trust, for example, in aid organizations and the work they perform (Chapter 14). Constructing that trust begins and ends with listening to local voices about some of the organizational causes of, and solutions to, humanitarian issues like poverty (Chapter 15). In the final synthesis then, humanitarian work psychology can itself be organized, as it is in this book, into concepts, applications and the building of capacity. Organizations, the book suggests, can be capacitors.