Disasters in the History of Foreign Relations

As a historian of the United States in the World, I am particularly interested in the place of humanitarianism in American foreign relations. In my current research project, I explore how the United States government, American charities and relief organizations, and the U.S. public have responded to tropical storms, earthquakes, floods, and other international natural disasters since the late nineteenth century. My work examines how the U.S. foreign disaster relief infrastructure evolved over the course of the 20^th century and the reasons why these changes occurred. International natural disasters, I argue, have historically constituted critical moments for U.S. foreign policy. The U.S. government and its citizens have seized on disasters as opportunities to build diplomatic ties, to demonstrate compassion and concern, and to engage in nation building activities. As the United States began to play a greater role in world affairs during the twentieth century, staging an effective and concerted response became an increasingly important part of the nation’s foreign affairs infrastructure. In this talk, I will discuss the importance of integrating disaster history into the histories of U.S. international development and U.S. foreign relations, more broadly.