The changing discourse of international humanitarian charitable -relief NGOs

The project, using the world culture theory, explores how modern international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) which provide humanitarian charitable relief assistance have enacted, innovated, and adapted to changes in the broader world culture over the past half century. Six propositions are developed regarding: to what extent and in what way humanitarian INGOs adapt to changes from short-term relief to long-term solutions involving development, prevention, or human rights; how INGOs mediate between the opposing values of neutrality and political advocacy; how they relate to powerful actors such as the United Nations; and in particular, how religious charitable-relief INGOs engage this organizational environment. Three levels of analysis are employed. First, based on coding statistical data in the Yearbook of International Organizations 1951/52, 1962/63, 1974, 1986/87 and 1998/99 editions, this author presents overall quantitative pictures as to how the whole humanitarian charitable-relief INGO community has undergone changes from the early 1950s to the late 1990s. The similarities and difference between religious based INGOs and secular INGOs are examined. Second, four INGO case studies (The ATD Fourth World, MISEREOR, Intermediate Technology Development Group, and Arab Council for Childhood and Development) are conducted to track hypothesized changes based on content analysis of organizational annuals and publications. The third level is an in-depth case study of Food for the Hungry, an explicitly Christian faith-based humanitarian INGO. Based on face-to-face interviews and extensive organizational publications, this author explores in great detail how the organization has articulated the spiritual with its relief and development activities, and how its religious theme has governed and informed its practice over its 30 years of history. Findings support the six propositions and demonstrate religious charitable-relief INGOs are ahead of secular INGOs in articulating and engaging in development. The in-depth case study of Food for the Hungry indicates that religious charitable-relief INGOs have pioneered a brand-new vibrant relief and development industry informed by the strong spiritual underpinnings. Several pertinent propositions are developed for future inquiries. The study contributes to the understanding of humanitarian action in the emerging global civil society, global governance, and theories of organizational adaptation, and in particular, theories on religious transnational organizing.