Welcome to IRIN's reading list.
Every week our global network of specialist correspondents will share some of their top picks of recent must-read research, reports, blogs and in-depth articles while also highlighting key upcoming conferences and policy debates.
Tweeting the Jihad: Social Media Networks of Western Foreign Fighters in Syria and Iraq
Violent attacks and land grabs by Islamist militant groups are major factors in past and present humanitarian crises in places like Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and Nigeria. This academic report is a fascinating look at how these groups have used social media - and in particular Twitter - to spread their messages and grow their domestic and overseas supporter base, and what is being done to curb them. A must-read for anyone interested in how online networks have been turned into powerful propaganda machines.
Tech is the easy part - don’t forget ‘peopleware’
Everybody is talking about technology and innovation as way to improve humanitarian responses and development programmes. But one size doesn’t fit all. This blogpost is an interesting consideration of how to match tech solutions with the social context in which they are being applied. For a new technology tool to succeed, an innovator has to know what people need on a practical level; they need to think “people-ware”. Will an electronic system for birth registrations really be effective in a community where people don’t like to share information with the government? And can you expect people to embrace alternative heating appliances if they can’t guarantee they will last in the long-term?
Did Britain’s Aid Programme (and maybe aid in general) just get its Mojo back?
The British parliamentary vote to pass into law that 0.7 percent of Gross National Income be spent on international development is a watershed moment for the aid and development sector. Oxfam’s Duncan Green reflects on the implications of the vote, countering aid sceptics who say overseas funding should be cut in favour of domestic programming. The challenge now, he notes, is how to ensure the money is well spent to deliver the most impact.
World Humanitarian Data and Trends
The latest edition of this annual publication from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is a must-read for anyone interested in data and trends relating to humanitarian crises and assistance. Eye-catching info-graphics, charts and tables give you an excellent overview of global crises, who was affected and how, and what was done to support those in need. It also looks at the role social media plays in natural disasters as well as other trends, challenges and opportunities.
Poor behaviour: Behavioural economics meets development policy
Do development bodies need to better understand the human mind before they plan their programmes? That is the premise of this Economist article looking at “behavioural development”, which comes on the back of the World Bank’s latest World Development Report looking at the same topic. Too often, this article argues, development programmes have focused on bringing physical goods to people - ranging from water supply to education - without really understanding how people use those goods. This needs to change.
Coming up:
TEDxPlaceDesNations brings together a diverse range of speakers from across Geneva’s various international organizations. Humanitarians, entrepreneurs, scientists, innovators and peacemakers will be taking to the stage on Thursday 11 December to present their case on everything from big data and cassava plants to Ebola and sanitation. The first session is at 3pm CET. More than 20 viewing parties are taking place across five continents. Join the online conversation by using #TEDxNations or follow @TEDxPdNations.
From IRIN:
Jordan's refugees - a human timeline of regional crisis
Jordan is straining under the weight of its Syrian refugee caseload, yet Syrians fleeing the current conflict only make up a small portion of the country’s refugee population. For decades, the tiny Kingdom has opened its doors to families from neighbouring Syria, Palestine and Iraq. Here, IRIN presents five stories from five very different refugee families who talk about their feeling of temporary permanence as well as their hopes for the future.
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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
