In the name of humanity: the government of threat and care
In this volume, editors Ilana Feldman and
Miriam Ticktin have drawn together an
outstanding collection of essays exploring the
concept of ‘humanity’ in a range of contexts and
from a rich variety of perspectives. Tracing the
categorisation of humanity throughout history
in their introductory chapter, Feldman and Ticktin
highlight the perennial tension inherent in its
definition and use. The ever-shifting boundaries
of humanity serve to include and protect even as
they reject and threaten those identified as
‘other’. Each of the eleven chapters engages with
the fundamental question of what it means to be
human, and the implications of possible
responses to this for the practice of governance.
However, despite the pervasive theme of government—
which is explored explicitly in the context
of humanitarian law (Richard Ashby
Wilson) and aid (Didier Fassin), healthcare
(Joao Biehl; S. Lochlann Jain; Adriana Petryna),
and the regulation of human interactions with
nature (Arun Agrawal; Charles Zerner)—it is the
more personal aspect of the human experience
that takes centre stage in most chapters, and
which offers the deepest insights into that elusive
concept: ‘humanity’. It offers readers a multifaceted
and open-ended account of humanity,
which will inform better governance and more
effective research in this field.
