This is a reflection on the contributions made over the last 14 years by Didier Fassin, in his analysis of issues raised by the phenomenon of migration in contemporary times, especially in France. He regards it as fundamental to comprehend the political uses behind the advent of 'humanitarian reason' and the 'empire of trauma', which underpin society today, in order to understand the suffering caused by large and small crises and the way social forces related to them act. Drawing on Foucault's concepts of biopolitics and biopower, Fassin makes a critical appraisal of the aid and assistance provided for society's 'unwanted' and their lifestyles, marked by social inclusion and exclusion via the body and trauma.
international humanitarian law; migration; psychological stress; anthropology; public health