Searching for a New International Humanitarian Order: The Egyptian Red Crescent 1940-1975

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Esther Möller
• Subject Area: Modern and Contemporary History
• Term: from 2013 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 224638031

The project aims at analysing the history of humanitarian aid in the second half of the twentieth century from the perspective of the Egyptian Red Crescent. On the one hand, this focus underlines the importance of the Middle East for the new orientation of humanitarin aid after World War Two. On the other hand, it gives new insight into the transformation of international organisations from a Non-Western perspective.The project thus contributes to research on the history of humanitarian aid which, until now, is mainly dominated by Western actors. It is also complementary to studies on the history of Egyptian and the Middle East, as it stresses the central role of Arab individuals and organisations as actors of regional and international action and puts it into relationship with Western states and organisations which have marked the political, cultural and social development of the region after World War Two. By analyzing different humanitarian agencies during major crises in the Middle East from World War Two to the wars between Israel and Egypt, the project finally contributes to the aims of global history which seeks to present and explain historical phenomenons from a mult-perspective approach.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants