ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we argue that moral sentiments have become a central stake of current politics that help to legitimate political actions. First, we will summarize what could be called a genealogy of humanitarianism, outlining its roots in charitable activities. Then, we present an analysis of humanitarianism and liberalism, where we argue that: (a) humanitarianism and civil society have become an integral part of the “neoliberal project” and of the governing of our current societies, and (b) nurses in their humanitarian care support the neoliberal and biopolitics rationale. Thus, our goal in this article is to describe how the deployment of moral sentiments and humanitarianism in nursing is often used to serve the needs of political interventions.
