profile
My name is Ricardo Fal-Dutra Santos and I am a PhD candidate in International History and Politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute, (IHEID).
My research examines the history of humanitarianism from a decolonial and feminist perspective, challenging narratives which centre on international humanitarian actors, and which portray humanitarian responses as incompatible with social transformation. To this end, I seek to document the history of feminist humanitarianisms that are marginalised by the formal humanitarian system and its funding. This is primarily an oral history project, centred on the lives of those who work at the intersection of crisis response and gender justice activism, including humanitarians, women’s and queer rights activists, and people affected by conflict and violence.
Before joining the Graduate Institute, I spent over ten years working in humanitarian programming and research, notably with Oxfam, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights.
Phd thesis
PhD Thesis Title: Between turning points and trade-offs: a transnational history of feminist humanitarianisms
PhD Supervisor: Nicole Bourbonnais and Davide Rodogno (2nd reader)
research interests
- History of humanitarianism
- Feminist theory and history
- Decolonial theory and history
- Social movements
- Oral history
- Transnational history
Relevant Publications and Works
- Akram, Susan M., Nidal Al-Azza, Ricardo Fal-Dutra Santos, and Cynthia Orchard. 2015. Closing Protection Gaps: Handbook on Protection of Palestinian Refugees in States Signatories to the 1951 Convention. BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. https://www.badil.org/cached_uploads/view/2021/04/18/art1d-2015handbook-1618743231.pdf.
- Loane, Geoff, and Ricardo Fal-Dutra Santos. 2017. ‘Strengthening Resilience: The ICRC’s Community-Based Approach to Ensuring the Protection of Education’. International Review of the Red Cross 99 (905): 797–820. https://international-review.icrc.org/articles/strengthening-resilience-icrcs-community-based-approach-ensuring-protection-education.
- Fal-Dutra Santos, Ricardo. 2018. ‘“Basics” Won’t Do: A Response to Marc DuBois’ “New Humanitarian Basics”’. ICRC Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog, November 13. https://blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/2018/11/13/basics-won-t-do-a-response-to-marc-dubois-new-humanitarian-basics/.
- Fal-Dutra Santos, Ricardo. 2019. ‘Challenging Patriarchy: Gender Equality and Humanitarian Principles’. ICRC Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog, July 18. https://blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/2019/07/18/gender-equality-humanitarian-principles/.
- Fal-Dutra Santos, Ricardo. 2021a. ‘Empowering Difference: Gender Equality and Culture in Humanitarian Action’. Journal of Humanitarian Affairs 2 (3). https://www.manchesterhive.com/view/journals/jha/2/3/article-p42.xml.
- Fal-Dutra Santos, Ricardo. 2021b. ‘From Participation to Leadership: A Resource Pack on Community-Based Protection’. Oxfam, September. https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/from-participation-to-leadership-a-resource-pack-on-community-based-protection-621292/.
- Fal-Dutra Santos, Ricardo. 2022. ‘We Live in a Patriarchal World: On the Humanitarian Responsibility to Transform Gender Norms’. Roundtable on gender and inclusion in humanitarian action during armed conflict, Chatham House, March 15. https://chathamhouse.soutron.net/Portal/Public/en-GB/DownloadImageFile.ashx?objectId=6699&ownerType=0&ownerId=202832.