Humanitarianism in the Age of Decolonization: A View from Southern Europe

This article outlines the methodological approach and interpretative axes of the special issue' Humanitarianism in the Age of Decolonization: a View from Southern Europe'. It links the case studies addressed in the different essays and analyses common topics, such as the role of religion, which, in the second half of the 20th century, continued to shape humanitarian plans and actions. The introduction elucidates how the focus on southern Europe broadens our understanding of the historical varieties of aid while shedding further light on both the meaning that the end of empires acquired for different Western countries and the positioning of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Yugoslavia and Greece in the sphere of global relations.