This paper introduces the notion of ‘humanitarian ignorance’ to address growing concern regarding non-knowledge, as datafication becomes a central instrument and ambition of the humanitarian sector. With the turn to digital humanitarianism, contemporary humanitarian action increasingly relies on technology-driven quantification to expand the ability to collect, analyse, and present information. Utilising datafication processes, humanitarian organisations seek to assess ‘risk’ and mitigate ‘uncertainty’ more efficiently. Although central to their knowledge management and decision-making in low information circumstances, the conceptual notions of ‘risk’ and ‘uncertainty’ are inadequate to capture the full spectrum of non-knowledge in a time of digital humanitarianism. We introduce ‘humanitarian ignorance’ here to challenge the assumption that datafication allows humanitarian organisations to make fully informed, delimited, and thus ‘better’ decisions. Ultimately, we accentuate the paradox that while datafication is thought to reduce risk and uncertainty in humanitarian affairs by suggesting higher levels of control, insight, and certainty, these efforts in fact open new expanses of ignorance and unknowns.

中文翻译：

---

人道主义无知：迈向数字人道主义非知识的新范式

本文引入了“人道主义无知”的概念，以解决人们对非知识日益增长的担忧，因为数据化已成为人道主义部门的核心工具和雄心。随着转向数字人道主义，当代人道主义行动越来越依赖技术驱动的量化来扩展收集、分析和呈现信息的能力。利用数据化流程，人道主义组织寻求更有效地评估“风险”并减轻“不确定性”。尽管“风险”和“不确定性”的概念对于低信息环境下的知识管理和决策至关重要，但不足以捕捉数字人道主义时代的所有非知识。我们在这里引入“人道主义无知”是为了挑战这样一种假设，即数据化允许人道主义组织做出充分知情、划定界限的、从而“更好”的决策。最终，我们强调了一个悖论，即虽然数据化被认为可以通过提高控制、洞察力和确定性来减少人道主义事务中的风险和不确定性，但这些努力实际上开启了新的无知和未知领域。