Humanitarian crises

This chapter looks at the various situations in which humanitarian action happens, such as conflicts, earthquakes, tropical storms, droughts, and disease outbreaks. The specific characteristics of each type of crisis are examined, along with common elements shared across these crises, such as similar impacts on affected populations. The chapter explores themes and elements that are important in humanitarian work and can be encountered in different kinds of settings, and crises. The discussion stresses the underlying importance of vulnerability, political action, political actors, and the socioeconomic decisions that impact all emergencies and disasters. At the end of this chapter is a critical reflection on typologies that shows how dividing humanitarian emergency situations into types can be misleading.