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The global gender backlash. The crisis of illiberalism. UN reform. Aid blind spots. Gaza and the failure of international law.
Guests on the Rethinking Humanitarianism podcast take on difficult topics, but they also come up with ideas about how to move forward.
There are examples of community resistance, refugee networks pushing for change by holding a mirror to UN orthodoxy, analyses that put this moment of flux in a wider context, ideas for maintaining accountability amid aid cuts, or thoughts on what humanitarians might learn from other movements.
“There are pockets in our global community that are choosing to overcome passive acceptance with collective action,” Sana Bég, executive director of Médecins Sans Frontières Canada, said in an episode about emergency aid’s image problem. “We're seeing that out on the streets. Who are those humanitarians?”
In this episode, host Tammam Aloudat and producer Levi Sharpe discuss what they’ve learned over a season of interviews on the future of humanitarian action. They highlight key takeaways to navigate today’s challenges, and explore the issues driving conversations in 2026.
Guests:
Anjali Dayal, assistant professor of international politics at Fordham University
Saskia Brechenmacher, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Sana Bég, executive director, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Canada
Hourie Tafech, director for refugee leadership and partnerships at Refugees International
Tammam Aloudat, CEO of The New Humanitarian
Levi Sharpe, Rethinking Humanitarianism producer
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Got a question or feedback? Email [email protected] or have your say on social media using the hashtag #RethinkingHumanitarianism.
