The Aid Triangle: Recognizing the Human Dynamics of Dominance, Justice and Identity (Development Studies Association) - Softcover

MacLachlan, Malcolm; Carr, Stuart; McAuliffe, Eilish

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1842779117 ISBN 13: 9781842779118

Publisher: Zed Books Ltd, 2010

Synopsis

The Aid Triangle focuses on the human dynamics of international aid and illustrates how the aid system incorporates power relationships, and therefore relationships of dominance. Using the concept of a triangle of dominance, justice and identity, this timely work explains how the experience of injustice is both a challenge and a stimulus to personal, community and national identity, and how such identities underlie the human potential that international aid should seek to enrich. This insightful new critique provides for the reader an innovative and constructive framework for producing more empowering and more effective aid.

About this title

Review

'This book is a most welcome addition to the growing call to rethink this whole dimension of international relations.' John Berry, Queen's University in Canada. 'This approachable and imaginative book takes a very different look at the practice of International Aid. Written by social scientists with considerable experience in the area, it offers not only a critique of current practices but also advice about how really to help those who need it. It is written with passion and clarity but always supported by the scientific literature in the area.' Professor Adrian Furnham, University College London 'At last! A book that addresses the psychological politics braided through civil society, governmental and multilateral agencies involved in aid. I highly recommend it.' A.K. Dube, African Decade for Persons with Disability 'A thought-provoking book that poses key questions about the nature and mechanisms of development.' Alastair Ager, Columbia University 'This book places justice - between individuals, between organisations and between countries and international organisations - at the heart of international aid and development; explaining its relationship with dominance and identity in a challenging, authoritative and engaging way.' Mary Robinson, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative

Synopsis

This book focuses on the human dynamics of the myriad relationships underlying international aid; from impoverished farmers to aid workers; donor diplomats to multilateral beaurocrats; celebrities to activists, and to the unconcerned and uninvolved. This book illustrates how the aid system incorporates power relationships, and therefore relationships of dominance. It explores how such dominance can be both a cause and a consequence of injustice. It explains how the experience of injustice is both a challenge to, and a stimulus to, personal, community and national identity, and how such identities underlie the human potential that international aid should seek to enrich.Using the concepts of dominance, injustice and identity, "Making Aid Work" provides an innovative and constructive framework for producing more empowering and more effective aid. It explains how people take actions which strive to achieve identity, esteem, and empowerment and how aid efforts often present obstacles to this because they - ironically - symbolise challenges to what people strive for.

"Making Aid Work" elucidates how the psychology of political reality - at all levels of aid relationships - constitutes the gravitational field in which human dynamics try to orientate themselves. Written by three authoritative academics with the dirt of aid and development under their fingernails, this book beckons a new paradigm for aid by thinking it through, in Schumacher's words 'as if people mattered'.

Edition details

• Publisher: Zed Books Ltd
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1842779117
• ISBN 13: 9781842779118
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 184