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The humanitarian makeover

Author

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  • Orgad, Shani
  • Nikunen, Kaarina

Abstract

We examine how the makeover paradigm is mobilized in contemporary humanitarian communications—a practice we call “humanitarian makeover.” We demonstrate its operation in the Finnish television programme Arman and the Children of Cameroon and Plan's 2013 International Day of the Girl event. The analysis shows how helping distant others is configured within a makeover and self-transformation narrative, providing a stage for performance of an “ethical self.” We argue that while the humanitarian impetus is to disturb and redress global inequality and injustice, which includes exposing and interrupting the failures of neoliberalism, the makeover paradigm is intimately connected to and reinforces individualized “moral citizenship,” which conforms to and reinforces neoliberal values.

Suggested Citation

  • Orgad, Shani & Nikunen, Kaarina, 2015. "The humanitarian makeover," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 62629, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:62629
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/62629/
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    makeover; humanitarian communication; self-transformation; NGOs; television;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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