Empire of Humanity explore humanitarianism's remarkable growth from its humble origins in the early nineteenth to its current prominence in global life. In contrast most contemporary accounts of humanitarianism that concentrate on the last two decades, Michael Barnett ties the past to the present. Based on extensive archival work, close encounters with many of today's leading international agencies, and interviews with dozens of aid workers in the field and at headquarters, Empire of Humanity provides a history that is both global and intimate. Book jacket.