Introduction

This chapter provides an introduction to the idea that humanitarianism functions as a fable by providing a close reading of Dr Seuss’s classic tale, Horton Hears a Who! The chapter defines humanitarianism broadly as the moral framework, or “structure of feeling,” that guides approaches to international development. The meanings attached to humanitarianism have become privileged over other ways of conceiving of ethics and addressing inequality. While critical analysis of humanitarian communications typically focuses on representations of the “poor,” the humanitarian fable invites empathic identification with the saviour or helper figure. Specifically, the chapter introduces the way the construction of the humanitarian figure needs to be understood in terms of Western notions of modernity, particularly racial ideology and shifting notions of whiteness.