Journal of Humanitarian Affairs 8.1 Humanitarianism in Times of Democratic Transition

Humanitarianism in Times of Democratic Transition: Perspectives from Southern Europe embeds stories of global humanitarian action stemming from the Mediterranean within the context of the parallel democratic transitions in Portugal, Greece and Spain on the aftermath of the 1974-1975 biennium.The special issue provides a significant focal point for examining how democratisation processes in these three countries influenced and were influenced by humanitarianism. It shows that the transition from authoritarianism to democracy involved new forms of humanitarian action based on active donorship, such as trade union campaigns, projects for political solidarity, and transnational mobilisation for prisoner and refugee rights. With transitional humanitarianism as its central concept, the volume offers a new perspective on the study of democratic transitions and consolidation in direct relation to the shaping of parallel Southern European aid repertoires.