Nicole Minkova - Palestinians in Lebanon in the U.S. : A Critical Examination of the Portrayal of Palestinian Refugees by NGO's to the American Public (original) (raw)

In the mid-20 th century, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) gave Palestinians representation in the Western world, an opportunity that was not normally available to them in the seclusion of the refugee camps. This representation was critical to the NGO's success: selectively using words and images could ensure continued funding and legitimacy in the public and political arena. The NGO movement grew from a history of colonial and missionary backgrounds and I argue that it has not always been able to successfully distinguish itself completely from these roots. This article looks specifically at one NGO: the American Near East Refugee Aid, or ANERA. By analysing their newsletters from the years 1967 to 1982, I seek to determine how the NGO viewed and understood Palestinians living in Lebanon, and how that translated to the way ANERA communicated about refugees to their American audience.