Doctors Without Borders Summary

Renee C.Fox’s novel Doctors Without Borders: Humanitarian Quests, Impossible Dreams of Medecins Sans Frontieres is a sociological exploration of the French medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). MSF provides international assistance to those affected by war, disease, and natural disaster while adhering to their core principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. Fox begins by showcasing MSF staff blogs that give insight to the reader into why people join MSF, their experiences, and their emotions while serving in a foreign country. She then discusses the moral and medical dilemma that arises when humanitarian action conflicts with political and military power. Fox gives us in depth reports of past field

However, their terminology separating the two types of workers contradicts the borderless, egalitarian principles of MSF. The staff indigenous to the countries where MSF field missions are located are called “nationals,” while the others coming into the country are known as “expatriates.” An expatriate is someone who settles oneself abroad, which unfortunately makes it sound as though the European international workers coming into these impoverished countries are akin to problematic colonialists from the past. This idea is expressed by a self-aware MSF expatriate who says that the expatriate-national paradigm is a “form of discrimination that is ‘racist,’ ‘colonialist,’ and ‘neocolonialist” (Fox 106). One senior MSF member points out that the term “expat” sounds very similar to “expert,” which has caused some discomfort among the staff. People have expressed their concern about the hierarchical terminology in the past; however, no rectifications have been made by

At the time, two-thirds of MSF’s field work was located in Africa; however, majority of their headquarters were located in Europe. Thus, a non-Western presence was needed to improve MSF’s international work and diversity. After years of colonial oppression, many African countries were beginning to gain independence and and a sense of identity. Thus, there was greater difficulty for Western organizations to keep the once weak African countries complacent. In “‘Nationals’ and ‘expatriates’: Challenges of fulfilling ‘sans frontières’ ideals in international humanitarian action,” Fox and Shevchenko reason,“Instead of lamenting the good old days when governments were weak and aid agencies could do whatever they wanted, MSF has to work to open itself up to establishing networks or building necessary links….” South Africa was the “necessary link” needed to evolve MSF into a real international movement, rather than a Western association claiming to be one. In November 2009, MSF South Africa became recognized as a delegate office, and finally in 2011 at the International General Assembly in Paris, it was formally declared an MSF association. MSF South Africa’s main goal, explained by member Ekambaram, is to appoint members to board based on merit, field experience, and character, rather than their status as national or international. By doing this, they can help bridge the gap between