Authoritarian practices on the rise? Reflections from a Médecins Sans Frontières research programme on the engagement between international humanitarian non-governmental organisations and states
The engagement between international humanitarian non-government organisations (INGOs) and states has long been a contested space. This theme has become more pertinent against the backdrop of a widely perceived global ‘rise in authoritarianism’. This paper presents research by Médecins Sans Frontièr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Political Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2025.1358889/full |
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| author | Andrew Cunningham Sean Healy |
| author_facet | Andrew Cunningham Sean Healy |
| author_sort | Andrew Cunningham |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The engagement between international humanitarian non-government organisations (INGOs) and states has long been a contested space. This theme has become more pertinent against the backdrop of a widely perceived global ‘rise in authoritarianism’. This paper presents research by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) into factors influencing INGO-state engagement. The research examined the principal factors that influence the attitudes that states take towards international humanitarian NGOs working on their territories during situations of crisis. This paper reviews the findings from four field case studies (Bangladesh, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Chad, and Italy) as well as findings from a desk study on the current situation in Afghanistan and a review of MSF’s history with states. The research was grounded in a theoretical framework which integrates the concepts of authoritarian practices (Glasius), regulatory practices, the differentiation between strategic and tactical levels of engagement, and conceptions of legitimacy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7ba02b2883fa48d39673d207e0bbfc64 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-3145 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Political Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-7ba02b2883fa48d39673d207e0bbfc642025-02-07T06:49:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Political Science2673-31452025-02-01710.3389/fpos.2025.13588891358889Authoritarian practices on the rise? Reflections from a Médecins Sans Frontières research programme on the engagement between international humanitarian non-governmental organisations and statesAndrew Cunningham0Sean Healy1Independent Researcher, London, United KingdomResearch and Analysis Network, Médecins Sans Frontières, Amsterdam, NetherlandsThe engagement between international humanitarian non-government organisations (INGOs) and states has long been a contested space. This theme has become more pertinent against the backdrop of a widely perceived global ‘rise in authoritarianism’. This paper presents research by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) into factors influencing INGO-state engagement. The research examined the principal factors that influence the attitudes that states take towards international humanitarian NGOs working on their territories during situations of crisis. This paper reviews the findings from four field case studies (Bangladesh, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Chad, and Italy) as well as findings from a desk study on the current situation in Afghanistan and a review of MSF’s history with states. The research was grounded in a theoretical framework which integrates the concepts of authoritarian practices (Glasius), regulatory practices, the differentiation between strategic and tactical levels of engagement, and conceptions of legitimacy.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2025.1358889/fullhumanitarian accessstateshumanitarian crises and aidMSFauthoritarian practices |
| spellingShingle | Andrew Cunningham Sean Healy Authoritarian practices on the rise? Reflections from a Médecins Sans Frontières research programme on the engagement between international humanitarian non-governmental organisations and states Frontiers in Political Science humanitarian access states humanitarian crises and aid MSF authoritarian practices |
| title | Authoritarian practices on the rise? Reflections from a Médecins Sans Frontières research programme on the engagement between international humanitarian non-governmental organisations and states |
| title_full | Authoritarian practices on the rise? Reflections from a Médecins Sans Frontières research programme on the engagement between international humanitarian non-governmental organisations and states |
| title_fullStr | Authoritarian practices on the rise? Reflections from a Médecins Sans Frontières research programme on the engagement between international humanitarian non-governmental organisations and states |
| title_full_unstemmed | Authoritarian practices on the rise? Reflections from a Médecins Sans Frontières research programme on the engagement between international humanitarian non-governmental organisations and states |
| title_short | Authoritarian practices on the rise? Reflections from a Médecins Sans Frontières research programme on the engagement between international humanitarian non-governmental organisations and states |
| title_sort | authoritarian practices on the rise reflections from a medecins sans frontieres research programme on the engagement between international humanitarian non governmental organisations and states |
| topic | humanitarian access states humanitarian crises and aid MSF authoritarian practices |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2025.1358889/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andrewcunningham authoritarianpracticesontherisereflectionsfromamedecinssansfrontieresresearchprogrammeontheengagementbetweeninternationalhumanitariannongovernmentalorganisationsandstates AT seanhealy authoritarianpracticesontherisereflectionsfromamedecinssansfrontieresresearchprogrammeontheengagementbetweeninternationalhumanitariannongovernmentalorganisationsandstates |