Book Reviews
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6478.2005.00334.x |
| Date | 01 September 2005 |
| Published date | 01 September 2005 |
Book Reviews
THE DARK SIDES OF VIRTUE: REASSESSING INTERNATIONAL
HUMANITARIANISM by DAVID KENNEDY
(Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2004, 400 pp. £19.95)
`Coming down hard' onto an aircraft carrier, David Kennedy tells us, `can be
disorienting, but it is also thrilling' (p. xi). And for over 350 pages, The Dark
Sides of Virtue documents ± in dramatic and always compelling narratives ±
the misdirections, distractions, and unintended consequences of international
humanitarianism. This is not the standard lament: the book's project is not to
bemoan a lack of political will, to drum up increased resources for human
rights programmes, nor to convince us of the justness of these programmes.
Kennedy's argument is that, at their core ± when they work as designed ±
humanitarian projects may be `as much part of the problem as of the
solution' (p. xiii).
But how hard do we land? Reaching such conclusions is difficult, since
the style and tone of Kennedy's book ranges: embedded within theoretical
and activist debates, and with an engaging wit, the book seeks to stir our
passions and deliver recommendations, while deconstructing much of the
foundations of international humanitarianism. The hybrid account that
emerges places us in an unenviable spot, challenging us to act ± even
directing us to act ± while robbing us of existing signposts and institutions.
But even then it doesn't drive one to despair. Throughout, Kennedy deftly
engages us in a productive, critical analysis of our own time, by drawing out
the normative architecture of international humanitarianism, through the
identities, texts, ideas, and tools that constitute this field.
***
When distilled, Kennedy's account builds on four main elements. First, the
professional project of international humanitarianism ± the building of
institutions and expert knowledges, the `enchantment' with which these are
invested, and the doxic views permeating the field ± produces `dark sides.'
Second, this constructs a belief among humanitarians that they are not
engaging in governance activity, instead speaking `truth to power,' blinding
them to the consequences of their own activities and presuppositions. Third,
Kennedy calls on humanitarians to `disenchant' their tools, doctrines, and
presuppositions in favour of a pragmatic stance that focuses on the costs,
benefits, and consequences of specific humanitarian activities, in specific
places and times. Finally, after briefly exploring the inherent limits and blind
493
ßCardiff University Law School 2005, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 9600 Garsington Road,
Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA
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