83. Academic Cowboy

The hero humanitarian is dead. And Joël Glasman is glad. In his new book “Humanitarian Humanities”, Glasman advocates for a more reflective and empirically informed approach to humanitarian action, emphasizing the importance of social sciences, local ties and contextual knowledge in the field. Listen in to Joël discussing his findings, callling for a shift from the heroic era of humanitarianism to a more scrutinized and regulated approach.The book:“Petit Manuel d’Autodéfense à l'Usage des Volontaires”

Kuldeep Bandhu Ayral, co-lead of BRAC's Social Innovation Lab wants humanitarian innovators to hurry, slowly, to reap the benefits of co-designing interventions with end users.He and host Lars Peter Nissen discuss the journey and impact of the BRAC, one of the world's largest NGOs originating from the Global South, and the design-based thinking of its Social Innovation Lab. They examine the limits of most localization practices and the challenges of integrating innovation in humanitarian aid. Kuldeep also shares insights from BRAC's 'failure reports', why humanitarian interventions must aspire beyond meeting basic needs, and why the phrase "lessons learned" needs to be ejected from the sector.

Meet Sean Lowrie and Christina Bennett – the dynamic former and current CEOs of the START Network, which unites over 90 different-sized NGOs globally for local-led humanitarian action.With host Lars Peter Nissen, they explore how Sean and Christina's leadership styles influence growth and the transition from a startup to a larger organisation. They debate whether creation of a change organisation is done best by allying with system incumbents or by working stealthily, and whether a vision of system change can be pitched transparently to system incumbents.Check out START here

Nick Parker and Paul Taylor from REACT has shown up in their civilian outfits to discuss how they’ve repurposed from military careers to humanitarian action. REACT leverages discipline, structure, and skills of volunteering veterans and civilians to respond rapidly to crises. In the second part of the conversation, Nick, Paul and host Lars Peter Nissen discuss their experience from Afghanistan and try to figure out how humanitarians and the military interact when they are present in the same theater.

Colin Rogers is the CEO of MapAction. MapAction is a lean, mean, mapping machine that turns complex data into clear, actionable maps to support frontline workers and decision-makers during crises. With about 100 volunteers, some of whom have been with the organisation for two decades, MapAction shows a unique, geeky charm. They work closely with partners like the UNDAC to alleviate the pressure on those calling the shots in crisis situations.Tune in to hear how MapAction translates complex humanitarian data into the language of action, supplementing the gut feelings of decision makers.

The challenges of the humanitarian sector have been identified over and over again but some problems seem to be unsolvable. In this first episode Marc DuBois and Lars Peter Nissen discuss whether there is a need to disrupt the sector and how to "clear the forest" so new solutions can be grown.This episode was first published in September 2020.

EqualReach connects displaced individuals on the move to tech gigs. In this conversation with host Lars Peter Nissen, the founder Giselle Gonzales uncovers the invisible barriers for that prevent skilled individuals on the move from working and accessing freelance opportunities. And how Equal Reach is breaking them down one project at a time. Just like hiding your kid’s broccoli in a brownie, Giselle kickstarted Equal Reach by using her corporate wisdom to align her social impact project with the KPIs of a Fortune 500 company. Tune in for a blend of reluctant entrepreneurship and impact. 

In this conversation, Lars Peter Nissen hosts a dialogue with humanitarian thought leaders: Meg Sattler (Executive Director of Ground Truth Solution), Ed Schenkenberg (Executive Director of HERE Geneva), and Adelina Kamal (former Executive Director of ASEAN AHA Centre). This episode tackles independence, accountability and effectiveness, and the challenges that shadow their interplay. And it does so with honesty and integrity. The dialogue shed light on the critical balance between cooperation and the autonomy necessary to critique, improve, and innovate.  Tune in to an episode that promises an honest examination of the dynamic tensions that shape humanitarian work.

This conversation between host, Lars Peter Nissen and Pierrick Devidal, Senior Policy Adviser at the Law, Policy and Humanitarian Diplomacy Division at ICRC debates on whether the sector’s excitement about AI is a progressive step or a dangerous diversion.We discuss ethical considerations and the potential for tech to overshadow fundamental humanitarian principles. How do we distinguish meaningful innovation from harmful overreliance? What are the pitfalls of datafication and AI fixation in humanitarian efforts, and when should we not take part in the race? Join this conversation that  seeks to navigate strategies for evaluating AI technologies for real added value in humanitarian efforts. 

In this thought-provoking episode, host Lars Peter Nissen and guest Sarah Spencer, Consultant specialized in AI explore the complex relationship between AI and humanitarian aid. They discuss the critical issues of transparency in AI-driven decision-making, the management of digital identities of aid recipients, and the ethical aspects of using AI to find ‘legitimate’ targets in conflict zones.The conversation wraps up with Spencer’s brighter and grimmer envisioned scenarios of how the digital integration in humanitarian work could look two years from now, emphasizing the need for technology to serve humanity in ethical and empowering ways.Listen in and check the pulse of the evolving role of technology in humanitarian efforts.Also check out the last episode with Sarah and Lars Peter from 2021. Listen here: https://trumanitarian.org/episodes/arms-race-for-data/