In this captivating look at humanitarian intervention in the 20th century, Orbinski, former head of the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), uses stories from his decades of service with the group to examine how to be in relation with the suffering of others. The author describes his time on the front lines of suffering in Russia, Somalia and Afghanistan. Whe...
In this captivating look at humanitarian intervention in the 20th century, Orbinski, former head of the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), uses stories from his decades of service with the group to examine how to be in relation with the suffering of others. The author describes his time on the front lines of suffering in Russia, Somalia and Afghanistan. When Orbinski recounts his second term in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide, the book reaches an emotional peak: it was his undoing, and struggling with the horror he has seen, he drifts into a netherworld of confusion, fighting to regain his footing as a man, as a doctor and as a putative humanitarian. His ensuing reflections on humanitarianism are as riveting as his personal thoughts, which include diary entries, recollections and correspondence with friends in the humanitarian and diplomatic corps. The book manages to be both personal enough to construe the human toll of political and social disasters without falling into the trap of maudlin, patronizing depictions of human suffering. Orbinski, who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize for Médecins Sans Frontières in 1999 does credit to his organization and his humanitarian credo. (Oct.)
At its best, politics is an imperfect human project. It is at its worst when we delude ourselves into thinking it can be perfect.....
An Imperfect Offering is about finding a way to confront unjust human suffering in the world as it is. Today one of the greatest challenges facing humanitarianism is the bluring of boundaries between humanatarian assistance and the political objectives of military intervention. (查看原文)
I couldn't go anywhere, as I had to payoff my student debt. MSF was recruiting for projects around the world, one of the most urgent of which was in northern Iraq... The MSF mission in northern Iraq saved thousands of lives, and I was bitterly disappointed that I could not be part of it. (查看原文)
0 有用 mai 2018-08-19 13:12:03
无穷的远方，无数的人们，都和我有关
0 有用 RSdczh4y4fhTxN 2022-11-19 11:26:14 加拿大
optimism is hard, try to stay hopeful
0 有用 RSdczh4y4fhTxN 2022-11-19 11:26:14 加拿大
optimism is hard, try to stay hopeful
0 有用 mai 2018-08-19 13:12:03
无穷的远方，无数的人们，都和我有关