JHR 598 Critical Humanitarianism taught me that no matter how well a humanitarian project or program may be built, the foundations and reasons need to be examined and explored. Too easily the vulnerable for whom aid is needed lose the ability to advocate and speak for themselves because of the covert power structure is controlled and manipulated by those who ironically initially intended to offer solutions and attempt to better a situation. Humanitarian efforts from religious organizations have become a complex and ever-changing dynamic to explore and understand. In Forces of compassion: humanitarianism between ethics and politics, Redfield and Bornstein’s writing critiques the religious side of humanitarianism and acknowledges that the deeper meaning and reasons for those interpreted to be in need are often found in the religious belief that “states of suffering have long played a significant role in many strands of religious tradition” (Bornstein et al. p. 7). Religious leaders finding or assuming deeper meaning in suffering gets entangled with the complexities of religious fervor and belief. These religious intentions mingled with racism and cultural practices for a time led the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to implement the now defunct Indian Placement Program. I authored a paper on the Indian Placement Program, and asserted that without meaning to, the program’s foundation was white supremacy and religious elitism.

To read the paper in its entirety. You may find it here:

Sowby, T. (2021). Critical Humanitarianism and The Indian Placement Program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [Unpublished manuscript]. New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University.