On November 8, 2024, CISS Youth hosted the 14th session of the “CISS Youth Talk”, titled “Alienation – Challenges of Humanitarian Aid.” The session featured Meng Qingyi, a member of the fifth cohort of CISS Youth and a doctoral student at Tsinghua University’s School of Public Administration, as the main speaker. Dr. Wen Jing, a postdoctoral researcher and assistant researcher at the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) and Director of Media Communication at China Forum, provided commentary. Nearly 30 students from Tsinghua University, Peking University, Renmin University of China, the China Foreign Affairs University, and other institutions participated online and offline. Ye Zichen, Secretariat of the Fifth Cohort of CISS Youth, moderated the session.

Meng Qingyi began by exploring the concept of alienation in the context of humanitarian aid, examining the idealistic value legitimacy versus the four dimensions of alienation. He observed a paradox in U.S. humanitarian interventions: despite lower intervention costs in Rwanda compared to Haiti, the U.S. chose to intervene in Haiti. He argued that the legitimacy of humanitarian intervention is largely based on its humanitarian nobility and purity, but in the current world, such actions have been “alienated” into a “Trojan horse” for major powers to advance their interests.

Meng then delved into four dimensions of alienation - operational mechanisms, environmental context, logical contradictions, and value disputes - to provide a robust explanation for the current state of humanitarian aid. He highlighted contradictions between the altruistic values of humanitarian intervention and the self-interested nature of interveners, as well as between the non-obligatory nature of humanitarian intervention and the clear responsibilities of interveners, noting that the option to choose implies bias.

The session inspired CISS Youth members and attendees to further discuss the realities and expectations of aid in international dispute areas like Afghanistan during the Q&A segment. Dr. Wen Jing and the speaker further explored the multifaceted interpretations of the key concept “alienation” and, drawing from field experiences in the Middle East, suggested directions for further exploration.

CISS Youth is a research-oriented exchange organization for young students and professionals in the field of international studies. Under the guidance of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University, it operates independently, organizing various activities such as lectures, seminars, roundtables, and annual large-scale forums. CISS Youth aims to cultivate young students and scholars with strategic vision and international perspective, enabling them to become active participants on the international stage. The “CISS Youth Talk” series is a knowledge exchange and academic discussion platform created by CISS Youth for young people, encouraging members to actively participate, share insights, engage in discussions, and stimulate academic enthusiasm and inspiration, thereby promoting knowledge exploration and the formation of new achievements.