Overview

The book examines how well UNHCR’s internal culture has remained aligned with its protection mandate's core values and principles amidst a rapidly evolving external environment and how this alignment—or lack thereof—impacts its external performance in refugee emergencies. The book uses a psychodynamic approach to examine the underlying assumptions, values, beliefs and behaviours that drive UNHCR’s internal dynamics, contrasting them with the organisation’s espoused values and principles. It also analyses the tensions between UNHCR’s family culture and the agency’s rigid bureaucratic structures. I combine theoretical analysis, survey data, personal anecdotes, and narrative to describe the psychological factors that shape UNHCR’s approach to ethical standards, leadership and management practices, accountability and the processes influencing trust, care, conflict, learning, and adaptation to change. Throughout the analysis, I will leverage key psychological concepts, including the Light Triad and Dark Triad of personality traits, and data from psychometric tools such as the Hogan assessments and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The key message of this book is that UNHCR's stated values and principles deeply contradict the beliefs and behaviours governing its operations. To mask this inconsistency, the organisation often engages in impression management and internal messaging designed to project a commitment to its protection mandate, even when reality may diverge from those declared principles. The internal dysfunctions of UNHCR undermine staff engagement and impact UNHCR’s external effectiveness, particularly in its ability to respond to emergencies and build durable solutions for displaced populations.

Full Product Details

Author:   Martin Gottwald
Publisher:   Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Imprint:   Palgrave Macmillan
ISBN:  

9783032090324

ISBN 10:   3032090326
Pages:   279
Publication Date:   22 November 2025
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: UNHCR’s Mandate and Culture in Evolution.- Chapter 3: Organisational Culture Theories Applied to UNHCR.- Chapter 4: The Global Context and UNHCR’s Inner Workings.- Chapter 5: IR Theory and the Cultural Landscape of UNHCR.- Chapter 6: Principles Under Pressure: Ethics at UNHCR in Practice.- Chapter 7: The Hidden Traits: What Psychometrics Reveal About UNHCR.- Chapter 8: UNHCR as Family and Bureaucracy: Cultural Archetypes in Conflict.- Chapter 9: The Dichotomy of Motives: Why People Join UNHCR.- Chapter 10: The Light and Dark Triads: Personality, Power, and Organisational Risks.- Chapter 11: Diversity and Competence: Clashing or Complementary?.- Chapter 12. From Self-Promotion to Protection Gaps: Leadership Dynamics.- Chapter 13: The Fear of Speaking Out.- Chapter 14: Stress and Complacency: Hidden Drivers of Dysfunction.- Chapter 15: Symbolic Soldiers: Military Metaphors and Hierarchical Culture.- Chapter 16: The Psychology of Impression Management.- Chapter 17: The Cult-like Culture of UNHCR.- Chapter 18: The Limits of Accountability.- Chapter 19: The Reality of Duty of Care.- Chapter 20: Blind Spots and Barriers to Organisational Learning.- Chapter 21: UNHCR Through Organisational Metaphors.- Chapter 22: How Internal Dynamics Shape Organisational Performance.- Chapter 23: Organisational Culture and Emergency Response Effectiveness.- Chapter 24: Political Caution over Protection.

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Author Information

Martin Gottwald has over 29 years of experience with UNHCR and the EU in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. He holds a PhD in International Law from the University of Vienna and is an expert in field operations.

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