ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes more fully the organization and challenges of the global humanitarian safety net that is meant to catch those who become vulnerable because of man-made crises. It concerns primarily two types of humanitarian action—the provision of relief to civilian populations and the protection of their basic human rights. The book outlines the evolution of humanitarian action from an idea, to its codification, to the creation of institutions to facilitate the international implementation of the idea. It provides up-to-date sketches of the human and political dimensions of some war zones illustrative of complex emergencies and the responses of the international humanitarian system to the crises in the post-Cold War era. The book reflects on the choices made by combatants, noncombatants, relief workers, and soldiers as they pursue their relative interests: aggression, survival, humanitarian assistance, and protection.
