As an initiative dedicated to research in the fields of humanitarian and social action, the French Red Cross Foundation embodies the French Red Cross’s commitment to analysing vulnerabilities and the responses of stakeholders, anticipating the needs of vulnerable populations, and supporting new operational models.
It is within the framework of this programme that the French Red Cross Foundation has decided to launch this call for applications, which will award 1 to 3 research grants to PhD graduates in the humanities and social sciences to carry out research over a period of 15 months.
Research topic
2025: a new landscape for the international aid sector
The year 2025 marks a turning point for international aid (Troit & Snyder, 2025; Viegalus & Charancle, 2025). Whilst the humanitarian system has always faced crises within crises – pivotal moments that have prompted profound re-evaluations and changes to its own organisation – until recently it had been able to rely on a relatively robust framework, shared values and growing financial support from states (see OECD, 2025).
Against this backdrop, the 2020s mark a significant turning point. Following a gruelling global health crisis, the situation is becoming increasingly challenging for organisations and for humanitarian principles. High-intensity conflicts and extreme violence in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan; erosion of respect for international norms and the legitimacy of multilateralism; intensification of disasters caused by climate change; destabilisation of voluntary engagement and trust in institutions due to polarisation and disinformation (IPCC, 2023; OECD, 2024; ICRC, 2024; IISS, 2025; IFRC, 2026). As we enter a period of increasingly unpredictable ‘polycrises’, the humanitarian system finds itself under severe strain (Abdullahi et al., 2025).
More specifically, this turning point is characterised by a dual shift, both financial and ideological (Audet et al., 2025). The sudden freeze on US aid in January 2025 – amounting to over $42 billion – combined with the announcement of cuts to official development assistance by several major European donors, including France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, confirms a trend towards reduction that began in 2024 with other donors (OECD, 2025; Bouissou et al., 2024; Couvelaire, 2025). These announcements have immediate and far-reaching effects on numerous ongoing and future humanitarian programmes, as well as on the organisations themselves, whether local or international (interruption of services, redundancies, existential risks). They have provoked a strong reaction from NGOs and the international community, which are warning both of the risks to populations and of the undermining of fundamental humanitarian principles (International Council of Voluntary Agencies, 2025; Médecins Sans Frontières, 2025; Glasman 2025).
In addition to causing the immediate cessation of essential funding and programmes, such as those combating HIV (see Alaoui et al., 2025), these cuts destabilise the very infrastructure of the system, affecting even those NGOs claiming to be the most independent (Hofman, 2025). As new private actors enter the scene, they herald increased concentration and competition for institutional funds, threatening the international cooperation that is nevertheless essential to meet growing humanitarian needs (Lamarche, 2025). These trends pose an existential challenge to the international aid sector and herald the onset of new conditionalities and a profound reconfiguration of the sector from which few actors will be spared (VanRooyen, 2026).
In this context, the academic sector and the sciences, which are not themselves immune to threats (see Balme, 2025), appear more than ever as key resources to be preserved and mobilised. Faced with increasingly complex, intertwined and protracted crises, the humanities and social sciences are becoming crucial for moving beyond strictly operational or technical interpretations of humanitarian transformations and situations, and for analysing the social, political, economic and cultural dynamics underpinning them (Troit, 2016; Antouly et al., 2023). In this period of doubt and mistrust, the sector’s reinvention—even if forced—cannot do without science and critical thinking, which are essential for collecting the necessary data, generating new knowledge, informing its reflections, and adapting to present and future challenges.
Objectives of the call:
In keeping with the programme’s overarching theme New Humanitarian Landscape, This call invites researchers to submit proposals for research projects that examine how and why the defining characteristics of this new era are bringing about structural—and indeed ideological—changes to organisations and the humanitarian sector. The aim is to investigate how the humanitarian sector is attempting to adapt and reorganise itself in the face of these upheavals. How do organisations, their staff and their partners experience, interpret and incorporate these changes into their day-to-day practices, their approaches and their regulatory frameworks? In what ways does this new situation give rise to new needs and challenges, and call for different responses?
These issues may be addressed in their own right and/or in the context of three areas of focus that the Foundation wishes to develop.
Humanitarian standards and principles
Against a backdrop marked by the resurgence of war, the increasing politicisation of aid and the questioning of multilateralism, this research will examine how humanitarian actors defend, negotiate and frame their identity, principles and legitimacy. To what extent are fundamental humanitarian standards reaffirmed, disseminated, challenged or exploited, and by which actors? How can they be (re)interpreted in the light of a new political, societal and technological context? What social and practical approaches can be implemented to preserve and adapt these standards within increasingly constrained, fragmented, commodified and militarised spheres of action? These questions invite us to analyse the humanitarian sector not only as a set of operational practices, but also as a field marked by numerous political, moral and symbolic tensions.
Local humanitarian action
Building on the Foundation’s previous research programme on the Humanitarian Transition, this research will aim to take a reflective look at contemporary humanitarian action and the policy of localising aid launched at the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit. What does the future hold for the global policy of aid localisation in the wake of recent upheavals? What are the realities of power transfers? How are relationships between actors being reconfigured? What horizontal mechanisms of solidarity, whether spontaneous or more organised, are emerging, bringing together citizens and organisations? Which new actors? This research will provide a fresh perspective on the localisation initiative, inform discussions on the future of humanitarian action in relation to civil society and public authorities, and consider the crisis as a potential opportunity for the renewal of humanitarian practices.
Global humanitarian action
This final strand moves away from the traditional emergency-development-peace nexus to examine the growing interconnection between humanitarian action and environmental and climate issues – and indeed biodiversity – and thus its relationship with the living world. How does the integration of environmental and climate issues transform the frameworks, priorities and timeframes of humanitarian action? To what extent can holistic, integrated and/or systemic approaches to living systems (e.g. One Health) reshape the practices, knowledge and approaches of humanitarian actors? To what extent can taking environmental and living system issues into account lead to a redefinition of the boundaries of the humanitarian sector and its responsibilities? The research will encourage consideration of environmental issues as a catalyst for change in the priorities, actions, concepts and timeframes of humanitarian action, and will examine the sector’s role in delivering fairer and more sustainable aid.
Geographical areas of research
These themes may be explored empirically in four priority regions: mainland France, overseas territories and neighbouring foreign territories across the three oceans, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. However, these priority regions are not exhaustive. The Foundation’s support may extend to any geographical area, provided that the research projects meet, amongst other things, the required safety and feasibility criteria.
Access to the site will be subject to a detailed risk assessment submitted at the time of application and updated prior to departure, ensuring that the recommendations of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs are checked in advance.
© Swedish Red Cross – Ilia Smyk
Je candidate
Research grant (individual)
Number of scholarships : 1
Amount : 19 800 €
Each winner will also receive :
- the option to apply for a contribution towards the insurance costs associated with the land (up to a maximum of €500).
- personalised academic support and mentoring
- support in promoting research findings (translation into English, publication on this website, assistance with publishing in leading journals, particularly *Alternatives humanitaires*, and participation in the Foundation’s conferences)
- a one-year subscription to the magazine *Alternatives humanitaires*
Key dates :
- 13 April 2026: launch of the call for proposals
- 17 May 2026: deadline for applications at midnight (Paris time)
- 2 July 2026: announcement of results
- 1–15 September 2026: start of the research
- 1 December 2027: submission of final deliverables
Mots-clés :
- International aid
- The humanitarian system
- Humanitarian standards and principles
- Local humanitarian action
- Humanitarian action and the environment
Funded by:
