The thesis concerns an important practical and normative issue: why and how should we engage with development aid. It argues that states (as opposed to citizens and individuals) have a duty to do...Show moreThe thesis concerns an important practical and normative issue: why and how should we engage with development aid. It argues that states (as opposed to citizens and individuals) have a duty to do so; that the way it is often given is counter-productive, paternalistic, and unfair. The thesis concludes that an FRBA (fundamental rights-based approach) shows how states and their citizens should discharge the duties that the right to development bestows on them.Show less
Even though billions are spent on poverty alleviation, and many thousands of pages of policy have been written, there is no clear idea on the effect of poverty reduction strategies. This paper...Show moreEven though billions are spent on poverty alleviation, and many thousands of pages of policy have been written, there is no clear idea on the effect of poverty reduction strategies. This paper argues that not only development aid has not been durably effective, moreover, this lack of effectiveness is due to a fundamental misunderstanding of what is poverty. This paper argues that the mismatch between poverty-definitions of donor and recipient can be solved through a new conceptualization of poverty, in which its intersocial dimension is central. Two new concepts are introduced: aspiration (the desire to belong to a group which possesses certain commodities – ranging from material goods to civil or human rights, and more) and acceptation (the condition that the group needs to accept an aspirer). Hence, poverty is defined in terms of agency, individuality and desire. The last step made in the argument is to apply the new conceptualization – the Aspiration Approach – to three recurring themes in Dutch development aid to Sub-Saharan African countries. It is shown here how a different definition of poverty can lead to a better understanding of failing development aid. The Aspiration Approach to Poverty defines poverty as the state in which one can be where one has aspirations that cannot be fulfilled. This unfulfilment can obviously have many reasons, but the reason that stands out in the Aspiration Approach is that others – the Opulent Society – do not accept the validity or worthiness of the aspirations.Show less
This paper offers an analysis of (1) the practices of a donor agency involved in a private-public partnership (PPP) to account for its inputs in a development project through measurement frameworks...Show moreThis paper offers an analysis of (1) the practices of a donor agency involved in a private-public partnership (PPP) to account for its inputs in a development project through measurement frameworks and progress reports, and (2) the effects of the increased focus on results on the ability of a donor agency to account for its actions. This study examines the practices of Sida engaged as a donor agency in a PPP with UNIDO and Volvo in a project called Heavy Duty Equipment and Commercial Vehicles Maintenance Training Academy (HDECoVA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The analysis of documents and interviews collected during a field trip to Ethiopia reveals that a mismatch exists between the results captured by the project’s measurement frameworks and progress reports developed by UNIDO, and the expectations of the Swedish government. The study further reveals that this mismatch can lead to tension between the different actors in the partnership and an increased vulnerability of Sida. The findings of this research lead to the conclusion that there are reasons to believe these challenges could become a constrain for donor agencies to address complex development challenges in the future or pose challenges for the collaborative process of PPPs.Show less
