The staff of the Institute has gone through the voluminous proceedings of the September 1995, "Managing Chaos" conference to distill the views expressed by nongovernmental organization (NGO) representatives and others on the emerging role of NGOs in managing international conflict.

The staff of the Institute has gone through the voluminous proceedings of the September 1995, "Managing Chaos" conference to distill the views expressed by nongovernmental organization (NGO) representatives and others on the emerging role of NGOs in managing international conflict. To our mind, some of the most interesting and significant thinking of the conference focused on the new challenges facing humanitarian relief NGOs (sometimes called "operational" NGOs to distinguish them from advocacy groups) during a time when humanitarian crises and natural disasters are both perpetuated and made more complex by the animus of subnational and regional conflict.

Pamela Aall is a program officer in the Education and Training Program of the Institute with primary responsibility for college-and university-level activities. She also chairs the Institute's interprogram initiative on non-governmental organizations. Before joining the Institute she was a consultant to the President's committee on the Arts and the Humanities and to the Institute of International Education.


Latest Research & Analysis

The Perils of a Cold War Analogy for Today’s U.S.-China Rivalry

The Perils of a Cold War Analogy for Today’s U.S.-China Rivalry

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

In the new era of great power rivalry between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (hereafter “China”), the paradigm of strategic competition has become popular. In looking to make sense of the present global geopolitical moment and paradigm, pundits search for a relevant historical analogy.

Type: Analysis

How to Break Gangs’ Grip on Haiti

How to Break Gangs’ Grip on Haiti

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Haiti has spiraled into chaos, with gangs tightening their grip on nearly every aspect of daily life. Once a fragile but functioning state, the country now finds its capital, Port-au-Prince, almost entirely controlled by gangs — and their influence is spreading. A new U.N. report warns that the situation is more dire than ever, as armed groups extend their control into new territories, displacing communities and deepening the country’s humanitarian crisis. As of January over one million people are displaced, the majority of them children, major roads are impassable, and “5.4 million Haitians – nearly half the population – do not have enough to eat.”

Type: Analysis

What Do Changes in China’s Nuclear Program Mean for India?

What Do Changes in China’s Nuclear Program Mean for India?

Thursday, March 13, 2025

At the end of 2024, the annual U.S. Department of Defense report on military and security developments in China reinforced evolving assessments of China’s rapid nuclear expansion with an alarming projection: The U.S. expects China to have 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030 despite having maintained a nuclear arsenal of approximately 300 warheads for decades.

Type: Analysis

What Does ‘Maximum Pressure’ on Iran Mean for Iraq?

What Does ‘Maximum Pressure’ on Iran Mean for Iraq?

Thursday, March 13, 2025

On March 8, the United States allowed a waiver to expire that had permitted Iraq to buy Iranian electricity. The move was the latest in the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign to cut off Iran’s revenue streams and push Tehran to negotiate over its controversial nuclear program. The waiver dates back to President Trump’s first term. In 2018, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which had granted Iran sanctions relief in return for curbing its nuclear program and expanding cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Type: Question and Answer

View All Research & Analysis