The Politics of Neutrality: Cimade, Humanitarianism, and State Power in Modern France

Abstract:Using the contemporary and historical conflicts between Cimade and the French government over the definition of legitimate humanitarian practice, this article seeks to interrogate the relationship between the ideologies and practices of "neutrality" and "témoignage" as guiding principles of contemporary humanitarianism in France and the political terrain in which humanitarian organizations like Cimade negotiate their work. In examining Cimade's role in the French Resistance during World War II, and its engagement in the Algerian War of Independence, this article analyzes how Cimade's history and historical narratives shape the organization's relationship with the French state and its vision of political engagement.