Workshop, 28th June 2018, Newcastle University, UK
The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, or UNRRA, was the first truly international humanitarian effort to prevent famine, destitution, and disease after a major conflict. Until the creation of UNRRA in 1943, war and post-war relief was predominantly carried out by charities, philanthropic individuals, or societies, each of which had independent aims and motives. Between its creation in 1943 and its closure in 1947, UNRRA provided emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation to millions of refugees and displaced persons (DPs) who fell under its mandate. UNRRA’s action in the international arena marked a watershed moment in international relations, human rights, and refugee humanitarianism. In shaping migration policy and conflict resolution and reconstruction processes, the Administration established a precedent for the emergence of the modern-day United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) as well as for future UN specialised agencies, such as UNICEF, UNESCO, and WHO. In many ways, UNRRA can be viewed as a lens through which we can understand present-day challenges in the world today.
This one-day workshop, which will be held on Thursday, June 28th 2018 at Newcastle University, will bring together like-minded scholars and experts of UNRRA with the aim of revealing how humanitarian needs conflicted with administrative and political restrictions within the context of WWII and its immediate aftermath. The Keynote (Title TBC) will be delivered by Dr Jessica Reinisch (Birkbeck, University of London). Read the UNRRA abstracts.
This workshop is generously funded by Newcastle University Humanities Research Institute, Cultural Significance of Place, and the International Studies in Forced Migration Group. Registration is free, but please contact Samantha Knapton ([email protected]) and or Katherine Rossy([email protected]) to register. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Beyond Relief and Rehabilitation: UNRRA in Historical Perspective, 1943-1947PROGRAMME Thursday, 28 June 2018 - Newcastle University, Armstrong Building 09:30 – 10:15 Coffee and Registration 10:00 – 10:15 Welcome Remarks: Samantha Knapton and Katherine Rossy 10:15 – 11:45 Panel I: Trajectories of Displacement Chair: Samantha Knapton (Newcastle University)
11:45 – 12:00 Coffee and Tea 11:30 – 13:00 Panel II: A New Kind of Humanitarianism Chair: Jessica Reinisch (Birkbeck, University of London)
13:30 – 14:15 Lunch 14:15 – 15:45 Panel III: UNRRA in Global Perspective Chair: Katherine Rossy (Queen Mary University of London)
16:15 – 16:30 Coffee and Tea 16:30 – 17:30 Keynote Address Dr Jessica Reinisch (Birkbeck, University of London) 17:30 – 18:30 Wine Reception This workshop has been generously supported by Newcastle University’s Humanities Research Institute (NUHRI), the Cultural Significance of Place (CSoP), and the International Studies in Forced Migration Group. |