“Machine Age Humanitarianism”: American Humanitarianism in Early-20th Century Syria and Lebanon

Abstract

Historians of humanitarianism have increasingly scrutinized its social and political perspectives in the hope of defining a unitary field of study. One trend has sought to emphasize the pre-existing contexts prior to the formalization of humanitarian activity.1 Other accounts, such as Michael Barnett’s, suggest that humanitarianism as a concept should be considered separately from traditional charity since it is a particularly modern, Western phenomenon that emerged from Enlightenment ethics (transcendentalism and universalism).2 In the Middle Eastern context, Ottoman-era massacres have generated the most attention.3 Historians of theMiddle East have nevertheless also sought to emphasize the well-established Islamic charitable experience. Islamic awqāf (mortmain perpetuities) have been an intrinsic part of the region’s humanitarian activity.4 These Islamic financial instruments provided for a range of charitable activities, even for the protection of birds as was the case in a Fezzan waqf.