Faith-based aid, globalisation and the humanitarian frontline: an analysis of Western-based Muslim aid organisations

This paper focuses on the emergence and modus operandi of Muslim faith-based aid organisations from the West, particularly those from the United Kingdom. Through case studies of Islamic Relief Worldwide and Muslim Hands, it examines the actual and potential added value generated by these humanitarian players in Muslim-majority contexts at times when aid actors from or associated with the West are being perceived by some as instrumental to the political agendas of Western powers, or are being confronted with the consequences thereof. The study analyses Muslim faith-based aid organisations' transnational networks, their implementing partnerships with local faith-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and their security position within and their access to insecure contexts, drawing on field examples and opinion from Central Asia, Iraq and Pakistan. It thereby argues that there is ground for an expansion of the role of Muslim aid actors, because of the existence of social and political realities in the field that cannot be always effectively tackled by the dominant international development approaches.     

塔吉克斯坦黄土矿物与稀土元素组成特征

：黄土矿物和地球化学组成是研究黄土来源和成因的重要手段。利用X 射线衍射（XRD） 和电感耦合等离子体质谱技术（ICP-MS）对亚洲内陆塔吉克斯坦共和国的黄土分别进行了矿物 组成和稀土元素（REE）特征分析,并与黄土高原和新疆伊犁黄土进行了对比。研究结果表明： XRD 鉴定出塔吉克斯坦黄土有10 多种矿物,以石英为主,其次为长石、方解石,还有少量绿泥 石、云母类、白云石等,偶见多种重矿物,其矿物组成与黄土高原和新疆伊犁黄土类似,但石英、 方解石的含量较低,角闪石含量介于黄土高原与伊犁黄土之间,反映近源弱风化的环境。稀土 元素总含量（ΣREE）变化于130.61 ~ 205.62 μg?g^-1,平均值为158.81 μg?g^-1,明显低于黄土高原 黄土和新疆黄土,但黄土与古土壤的REE 特征参数及配分模式具有很好的相似性,说明两者具 有类似的风成成因。塔吉克斯坦黄土不同时代的矿物成分和REE特征参数、配分模式与黄土高原、 新疆黄土接近,显示出其经过搬运后的高度混合性特征,亦指示其为风成成因,而含量的细微 差异则主要反映了区域地质背景和源区的不同。