United to rescue? Humanitarian role conceptions and NGO–NGO interactions in the Mediterranean Sea

The large number of asylum seekers dying off the coast Libya has turned Southern Mediterranean Sea into a new humanitarian space, prompting 11 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to launch maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) operations between 2014 2017. These NGOs engaged in complex web interactions, ranging from rare instances hostility, competition mistrust coordination, cooperation integration. Drawing on role theory, I argue that organisational conceptions are key shaping NGO–NGO interactions. principles neutrality, impartiality independence serve as action scripts inform NGOs’ space. rescue have upheld different interpretations principles, developing supportive, neutral, or confrontational approaches vis-à-vis European governments’ border control policies. By leveraging content analysis semi-structured interviews, show with matching tighter forms cooperation; charities divergent conceptions, by contrast, shown tendency develop engage more competitive frictions inhibited forming united front policy restrictions criminalisation, hindering legitimacy viability sea rescue.