In his book, Humanitarian Aftershocks in Haiti, Mark Schuller uses an anthropological lens to examine the state of modern global humanitarianism and development through a documentation of the humanitarian response after the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti. In the book, Schuller sheds light on how Port-au-Prince-based humanitarian groups responded to widespread homelessness caused by the natural disaster. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay It implores the reader to consider several “unintended consequences” that go beyond the basic needs of aid recipients. Sculler addresses and ultimately supports the idea that the philanthropic response to the earthquake led to a secondary crisis, punishing Haitian communities on the basis of a lack of humanitarian due diligence. It urges us to recognize that disaster response and other philanthropic initiatives are fixed in a solid set of Western cultural ideals disguised as altruism that negatively impact the cultures they are intended to benefit, in this case, Haitian culture. Schuller's argument universally addresses the ways in which highly local forms of cultural unity and expression are contaminated by the neoliberal basis of philanthropic work. Schuller's critique of global humanitarianism is based on research conducted over four years, including his observations of eight different camps for internally displaced persons. Together with a team of Haitian-American and Native American university students, Schuller uses both quantitative and qualitative household surveys as well as interviews with camp residents and aid workers. Considering the positive implications of foreign aid, Schuller highlights Haitian perspectives. He establishes the main themes of each chapter by starting with an interview, which becomes a powerful reference point for the reader. The humanitarian aftershocks in Haiti provide a vital insight into the complicated community dynamics of life in an internally displaced persons camp. Schuller's analysis of eight different IDP camps highlights common themes regarding family structure, gender, and profoundly influential relationships. Through constant consumption of Haitian perspectives, Schuller allows locals to direct his analysis. Schuller diverges from the neoliberal view that IDP camps and their inhabitants are insignificant examples of national underdevelopment and social defect. Schuller describes how these camps were originally constructed and the organization of domestic dynamics within the camps. Throughout his experience, Schuller talks about how influential the professional practices of humanitarian organizations are in the local social structure. In Chapter 4 Schuller discusses how the role of women in Haitian society was obscured after the earthquake. She says that as mothers and breadwinners, women were subjected to a patriarchal hierarchy that forced them to be subservient. The poverty of Haitian society, combined with traditional patriarchy, has led to women being abandoned by their male colleagues and having to sacrifice resources for their children. The humanitarian aid Haiti received also caused physical and emotional distress to Haitian women after the disaster. The distribution of ration cards to men created a corrupt system in which men asked for sexual “favors” so women could eat. Furthermore, it has been clearly demonstrated that the lack of health resources in these humanitarian camps has a negative impact on women. After reading.
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