This paper examines intercultural exchange between Europe and Central Arabia through the travel records of Charles M. Doughty (1876–1878), Charles Huber (1880–1881; 1883-1884), and Julius Euting (1883–1884). Their observations – preserved in published narratives, correspondence, and archives – document Arab society, hospitality, and governance under Emir Moḥammad bin ʿAbdullâh Al Rashîd in Hâʾil.1 Approaching the region from distinct disciplinary vantage points (writer-poet, geographer, epigraphist-watercolourist), they produced complementary yet divergent portraits: Doughty foregrounds Bedouin tribes and their negotiations with Rashīdi authority; Euting chronicles Hâʾil’s commercial life and material culture, enriched by sketches and a portrait of the future Emir ʿAbdulʿazīz bin Mutʿib2; Huber, visiting twice, cultivated a particularly close rapport with the Emir. Spanning 1876–1884, this corpus intertwines ethnographic description with narrative construction, balancing attentiveness to hospitality with frank accounts of desert hardships and conflict. It also exposes a persistent conviction of European superiority, prompting reflection on more reciprocal paradigms of intercultural engagement.3
This article examines the governance of Markazī refugee camp in Djibouti, established in 2015 to host Yemeni refugees fleeing war. It explores the intersection of humanitarian governance and geopolitical dynamics, analyzing how international and national actors manage the camp through extraterritorial mechanisms of control, regulation, and assistance. The study highlights how humanitarian aid serves as a tool of soft power, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar competing for influence through infrastructure development, education, and social programs. Using field research conducted between August and October 2019, along with institutional reports and academic sources, this article demonstrates how the camp functions both as a site of protection and political instrumentalization. It concludes by questioning the ethical implications of politicized aid and the impact of governance structures on refugees’ autonomy and integration.
This article examines the governance of Markazī refugee camp in Djibouti, established in 2015 to host Yemeni refugees fleeing war. It explores the intersection of humanitarian governance and geopolitical dynamics, analyzing how international and national actors manage the camp through extraterritorial mechanisms of control, regulation, and assistance. The study highlights how humanitarian aid serves as a tool of soft power, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar competing for influence through infrastructure development, education, and social programs. Using field research conducted between August and October 2019, along with institutional reports and academic sources, this article demonstrates how the camp functions both as a site of protection and political instrumentalization. It concludes by questioning the ethical implications of politicized aid and the impact of governance structures on refugees’ autonomy and integration.
