O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de analisar como mudanças nos discursos sobre desenvolvimento que operam na Nicarágua afetam organizações de mulheres rurais no país. A partir de uma abordagem etnográfica, são analisadas as trajetórias e estratégias de duas organizações de mulheres que executam projetos com financiamento de agências de cooperação internacional e que mantêm relação com políticas sociais, buscando perceber como estas relações se vinculam com suas escolhas políticas. Tomo como referência a divisão em três períodos históricos do país, cada um vinculado a um macro-discruso específico sobre desenvolvimento: a Revolução Popular Sandinista na década de 1980, e a guerra que a acompanhou; os dezesseis anos do período neoliberal (1990 – 2006), que vieram acompanhados por um enorme volume de recursos de Ajuda Internacional para o Desenvolvimento (AID); e, a partir de 2007, a volta da Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) à presidência do país, marcada por sua aliança econômica com a Venezuela, e pela redução significativa de recursos de AID. O argumento é que estes macro-discursos, apesar de diferentes, se baseiam em lógicas de colonialidade/modernidade que colocam a “mulher rural” como um “outro” atrasado, que deve ser corrigido por algum tipo de desenvolvimento. No entanto, seguindo o desafio do feminismo pós-colonial, a proposta deste trabalho é desconstruir uma visão monolítica sobre “mulheres do terceiro mundo”, evidenciando as particularidades dos processos locais, apesar de compartilharem de elementos nas dinâmicas de estabelecimento de relações de poder em todos os espaços da vida. O trabalho de campo indica que elas constroem diferentes possibilidades a partir da construção de espaços exclusivos de mulheres, que se dá também em relação com discursos sobre desenvolvimento e gênero nacionais e internacionais. / This paper aims to analyze how changes in development discourses operating in Nicaragua affect rural women's organizations in the country. From an ethnographic approach, the trajectories and strategies of two women's organizations running projects with funding from donor agencies and affected by social policies are analyzed, seeking to understand how these relations are linked with their political choices. I take as reference the division into three historical periods of the country, each tied to a specific macro-discrouses on development: the Sandinista Popular Revolution in the 1980s, and the war that followed; sixteen years of the neoliberal period (1990 - 2006), which were accompanied by a huge volume ofresources from Agencies for International Development (AID); and, from 2007, the return of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) to the presidency of the country, marked by its economic alliance with Venezuela, and the significant reduction of AID resources. The argument is that these macro-discourses, although different, are based on the logic of coloniality / modernity that put the "rural woman" as an "other" that needs to be corrected by pre-established development models. However, following the challenge of post-colonial feminism, the purpose of this paper is to deconstruct a monolithic view of "women of the third world", highlighting the particularities of local processes, even if they share dynamics of power relations in every areas of life. The field work indicates that these women build different possibilities from the creation of exclusive womens spaces, which also happens in relation to national and international development and gender discourses.

”Sustainable reconciliation”, a form of international aid relief program, has been developed and constructed to help populations overcome war trauma, using different activities within art, entertainment and sports.  Theorists claim that if conducted properly, activities such as these, should lead to good social capital, causing higher levels of culture tolerance, gender equality and creativity, as well as better health and life satisfaction. This study has examined how the non-governmental organization, the Cross Cultural Project Association’s relief program, the Open Fun Football Schools has affected its participants in Belgrade, Serbia. A quantitative analysis has been conducted through the means of a multi question survey, to see if certain variables are correlated with the projects influence, “OFFS social capital”. According to the results, the activities did have positive effects on education, culture tolerance, gender equality, creativity, heath and life satisfaction. In addition the social capital influenced by the activities was found to be dependent on participants’ level of culture tolerance, and vice versa. The project is found to set the foundation for good social networking possibilities and create good social capital, all great aspects for the purpose of peace building.

Det finns ett stort och konstant behov av sjuksköterskor inom internationellt biståndsarbete. Vad en sjuksköterska gör vid uppdrag skiljer sig från det svenska omvårdnadsarbetet. Arbetet innebär mycket glädje av att göra gott men samtidigt många tragiska upplevelser. Den här studien var empiriskt förankrad med syfte att beskriva sjuksköterskors emotionella upplevelser vid internationellt biståndsarbete för Läkare Utan Gränser. Det empiriska materialet bestod av bloggar, reseberättelser och intervjuer som analyserades och presenterades under kategorierna före, under och efter uppdrag. Under den första kategorin visade det sig att sjuksköterskorna förberedde sig på ett hårt och krävande uppdrag, samtidigt var det svårt att föreställa sig vad som skulle mötas. Under uppdraget upplevdes positiva och negativa känslor relaterade till yrkesrollen. Arbetet var en utmaning och gav en härlig känsla att vara med och påverka. Sjuksköterskorna uttryckte efter uppdraget att det inte gick att förbereda sig på vilka känslor som skulle upplevas. Uppdragen gav energi och känslan av att ha vuxit som människa. Det framkom i studien att det var svårt att vara förberedd inför ett uppdrag, det uttrycktes frustration men ingen stress vilket andra studier visade. Sjuksköterskorna fick lära sig se med nya ögon och interaktionen med patienterna påverkades. / There is a great and constant need for nurses in international aid work. What a nurse does as an aid worker is different compared to the ordinary Swedish nurse. The work involves a lot of pleasure from doing good, but also many tragic experiences. This study is empirically based with a view to highlight nurses emotional perceptions in international aid work for MSF. The empirical data consisted of blogs, travel stories and interviews that were analyzed and presented in categories before, during and after missions. The first category showed that nurses were preparing for a tough and demanding mission, but it was difficult for them to imagine what they were going to meet. During the mission, both positive and negative feelings were related to the professional role. The work was a challenge and it was a great feeling to be able to make a difference. The assignments gave energy and the feeling of having grown as a person. The study revealed that it was difficult to be prepared for a mission, the nurses expressed frustration but no stress, which other studies showed. The nurses had to learn to see with new eyes and the interaction with the patients was affected.

Abstract This senior thesis is a study of international funding bodies in the case of Northern Ireland peace process. I examine the role of the European Union PEACE Fund and International Fund for Ireland. Particularly, I focus on creating, structuring, and maintaining these funds and their impact the local community. In conclusion, I find there are several recommendations for the formation and sustaining of international economic and political support from the Northern Irish case that can be applied in future cases. This includes utilizing multiple strategies that adjust to the needs of the community and creating networks for support and collaboration.

From their nascent beginnings during World War II to their good governance and capacity building focus under the Post-Washington Consensus of the early 21st century, international development activities have encompassed a particular world view. This world view, founded on Western historical materialism and a normative perspective, rationalizes “the project” as the predominate form of development assistance and the “expert” or “volunteer” as its agent. Yet this approach to development, although at times successful, has often proved to be unsustainable in the absence of international financing and expertise. Still, there is an alternative approach available when one recognizes that what the vast majority of people want is security for themselves, their families, and their lifestyles.1 From this approach, the focus of development is shifted away from what people do not have (be it material comforts, infrastructure, or good governance) and sets it on the critical roles culture, individual growth, and informal association have in community development. In this approach, human agency at the interpersonal level becomes critical in the diffusion of social, political, economic, and technological innovation and, accordingly, the decisive factor in poverty reduction. That is to say, development that can address poverty must come from within the social classes that experience it. To explore how the international development community can act on this alternative approach, this thesis provides a review of the theory, practice, and consequences of international development to the present day and, from that lead, builds a theoretical argument for the individual creative sojourner as a primary messenger of development. In addition, it presents an exploratory case study of creative sojourners in Timor-Leste and, from their ideas and insights, proposes policy considerations for an overseas apprenticeship program that would support the efforts of trades people, agriculturalists, and small entrepreneurs in improving their lives and, in the process, renewing their societies.

[pt] Esta dissertação analisa o tema largamente difundido dos Estados frágeis, procurando compreender como esta concepção se forma e quais são os efeitos dessa significação para a dinâmica maior da ajuda internacional. A pesquisa se volta para indagar sobre o senso comum acerca da chamada fragilidade estatal, aplicando o que Leander denomina abordagem FIHP, baseada nos conceitos de campo, habitus e prática de Bourdieu. Tomando como base esta metodologia, e com o suporte dos trabalhos de Villumsen e Bigo, a proposta desta dissertação é questionar o caráter dado dos Estados frágeis e entendê-los como uma construção constante de agentes de toda natureza que se encontram em um mesmo campo transnacional. Para isso, a análise foca em atividades burocráticas rotineiras e nas disputas freqüentes entre os agentes do campo, demonstrando que a concepção de Estados frágeis, como todo processo de significação e representação, está fundamentada em violência, ainda que sutil. A pesquisa busca, ainda, ajudar a superar dois problemas na disciplina de Relações Internacionais quanto ao tema da chamada fragilidade estatal: uma divisão de trabalhos entre críticas teóricas e práticas que desconsidera o potencial enriquecedor de se unirem as duas abordagens; e o silenciamento em torno de como se forma uma concepção tão largamente difundida. A dissertação tenciona, então, enriquecer a abordagem do tema justamente em demonstrando contingente, violenta e ao mesmo tempo sutil a dinâmica que significa e cria Estados frágei. / [en] This dissertation examines the widespread theme of fragile states, trying to understand how this concept is formed and what are the effects of this signification process for the dynamics of international aid. The research puts in question the common sense about the so called state fragility, applying what Leander calls the FIHP approach, based on Bourdieu s concepts of field, habitus and practice. Based on this methodology, and supported by the work of Villumsen and Bigo, the purpose of this dissertation is to question the given character of fragile states and to understand them as a constant construction of different agents who are in the same transnational field. For this, the analysis focuses on routine bureaucratic activities and frequent disputes between players in the field, demonstrating that the concept of fragile states, like any process of signification and representation, is founded on violence, however subtle. The research also aims to help overcome two problems in the discipline of International Relations on the subject of the so called state fragility: a division of labor between theoretical and practical critiques that disregards the rich potential of uniting the two approaches; and the silence about how a so widespread conception gets formed. The dissertation looks forward to enrich the approach to the subject precisely in demonstrating the contingent, violent, and subtle dynamics which give meaning and create fragile state.

O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de analisar como mudanças nos discursos sobre desenvolvimento que operam na Nicarágua afetam organizações de mulheres rurais no país. A partir de uma abordagem etnográfica, são analisadas as trajetórias e estratégias de duas organizações de mulheres que executam projetos com financiamento de agências de cooperação internacional e que mantêm relação com políticas sociais, buscando perceber como estas relações se vinculam com suas escolhas políticas. Tomo como referência a divisão em três períodos históricos do país, cada um vinculado a um macro-discruso específico sobre desenvolvimento: a Revolução Popular Sandinista na década de 1980, e a guerra que a acompanhou; os dezesseis anos do período neoliberal (1990 – 2006), que vieram acompanhados por um enorme volume de recursos de Ajuda Internacional para o Desenvolvimento (AID); e, a partir de 2007, a volta da Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) à presidência do país, marcada por sua aliança econômica com a Venezuela, e pela redução significativa de recursos de AID. O argumento é que estes macro-discursos, apesar de diferentes, se baseiam em lógicas de colonialidade/modernidade que colocam a “mulher rural” como um “outro” atrasado, que deve ser corrigido por algum tipo de desenvolvimento. No entanto, seguindo o desafio do feminismo pós-colonial, a proposta deste trabalho é desconstruir uma visão monolítica sobre “mulheres do terceiro mundo”, evidenciando as particularidades dos processos locais, apesar de compartilharem de elementos nas dinâmicas de estabelecimento de relações de poder em todos os espaços da vida. O trabalho de campo indica que elas constroem diferentes possibilidades a partir da construção de espaços exclusivos de mulheres, que se dá também em relação com discursos sobre desenvolvimento e gênero nacionais e internacionais. / This paper aims to analyze how changes in development discourses operating in Nicaragua affect rural women's organizations in the country. From an ethnographic approach, the trajectories and strategies of two women's organizations running projects with funding from donor agencies and affected by social policies are analyzed, seeking to understand how these relations are linked with their political choices. I take as reference the division into three historical periods of the country, each tied to a specific macro-discrouses on development: the Sandinista Popular Revolution in the 1980s, and the war that followed; sixteen years of the neoliberal period (1990 - 2006), which were accompanied by a huge volume ofresources from Agencies for International Development (AID); and, from 2007, the return of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) to the presidency of the country, marked by its economic alliance with Venezuela, and the significant reduction of AID resources. The argument is that these macro-discourses, although different, are based on the logic of coloniality / modernity that put the "rural woman" as an "other" that needs to be corrected by pre-established development models. However, following the challenge of post-colonial feminism, the purpose of this paper is to deconstruct a monolithic view of "women of the third world", highlighting the particularities of local processes, even if they share dynamics of power relations in every areas of life. The field work indicates that these women build different possibilities from the creation of exclusive womens spaces, which also happens in relation to national and international development and gender discourses.

Les trois ONG humanitaires (CARE International, CRS et MSF/F) qui sont intervenues au Burundi de 1993 à 2005 ont réalisé des projets importants pour le pays. Ces acteurs transnationaux sont financés par des Etats, des Organisations internationales et des donateurs privés. C’est ainsi que l’on peut les qualifier d’acteurs intermédiaires parce qu’ils sont soumis aux contraintes étatiques et transnationales. Les financements étatiques sont motivés par la volonté de pousser les ONG humanitaires à servir des intérêts nationaux des Etats-bailleurs tandis que le financement privé légitime leur nature apolitique tout en les obligeant à se comporter comme des entreprises commerciales. Nonobstant cette nature hybride, dans chaque ONG existent des agents philanthropiques, qui travaillent juste pour l’Humanitaire. / The three humanitarian NGOs (CARE International, CRS and MSF/F) which have been operating in Burundi since 1993 to 2005 realized important projects for the country. These Transnational actors are funded by States, international organizations and private donators. That is why we can call them intermediate actors because they are submitted to governmental and transnational conditions. Static funding urges these NGOs to operate according to the national interests while private funding legitimates their transnational nature and justifies their “charity business”. Besides this hybrid nature, there are philanthropic agents in each of these three humanitarian NGOs.

O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de analisar como mudanças nos discursos sobre desenvolvimento que operam na Nicarágua afetam organizações de mulheres rurais no país. A partir de uma abordagem etnográfica, são analisadas as trajetórias e estratégias de duas organizações de mulheres que executam projetos com financiamento de agências de cooperação internacional e que mantêm relação com políticas sociais, buscando perceber como estas relações se vinculam com suas escolhas políticas. Tomo como referência a divisão em três períodos históricos do país, cada um vinculado a um macro-discruso específico sobre desenvolvimento: a Revolução Popular Sandinista na década de 1980, e a guerra que a acompanhou; os dezesseis anos do período neoliberal (1990 – 2006), que vieram acompanhados por um enorme volume de recursos de Ajuda Internacional para o Desenvolvimento (AID); e, a partir de 2007, a volta da Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) à presidência do país, marcada por sua aliança econômica com a Venezuela, e pela redução significativa de recursos de AID. O argumento é que estes macro-discursos, apesar de diferentes, se baseiam em lógicas de colonialidade/modernidade que colocam a “mulher rural” como um “outro” atrasado, que deve ser corrigido por algum tipo de desenvolvimento. No entanto, seguindo o desafio do feminismo pós-colonial, a proposta deste trabalho é desconstruir uma visão monolítica sobre “mulheres do terceiro mundo”, evidenciando as particularidades dos processos locais, apesar de compartilharem de elementos nas dinâmicas de estabelecimento de relações de poder em todos os espaços da vida. O trabalho de campo indica que elas constroem diferentes possibilidades a partir da construção de espaços exclusivos de mulheres, que se dá também em relação com discursos sobre desenvolvimento e gênero nacionais e internacionais. / This paper aims to analyze how changes in development discourses operating in Nicaragua affect rural women's organizations in the country. From an ethnographic approach, the trajectories and strategies of two women's organizations running projects with funding from donor agencies and affected by social policies are analyzed, seeking to understand how these relations are linked with their political choices. I take as reference the division into three historical periods of the country, each tied to a specific macro-discrouses on development: the Sandinista Popular Revolution in the 1980s, and the war that followed; sixteen years of the neoliberal period (1990 - 2006), which were accompanied by a huge volume ofresources from Agencies for International Development (AID); and, from 2007, the return of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) to the presidency of the country, marked by its economic alliance with Venezuela, and the significant reduction of AID resources. The argument is that these macro-discourses, although different, are based on the logic of coloniality / modernity that put the "rural woman" as an "other" that needs to be corrected by pre-established development models. However, following the challenge of post-colonial feminism, the purpose of this paper is to deconstruct a monolithic view of "women of the third world", highlighting the particularities of local processes, even if they share dynamics of power relations in every areas of life. The field work indicates that these women build different possibilities from the creation of exclusive womens spaces, which also happens in relation to national and international development and gender discourses.

If we understand development as an emergent property of a complex system, then effective development assistance needs to adapt and evolve in-context. This thesis explores how learning and adaptation practices might help aid organizations apply complexity thinking to improve their effectiveness. Based on a new framework of organizational practices, this study uses a mixed methods approach to assess the extent to which 12 small and medium international aid organizations in Haiti learn and adapt. The study supports the assumption that learning and adaptation contribute to effectiveness, and finds that organizations vary significantly in their learning and adaptation practices. It finds that development organizations employ more learning practices than humanitarian assistance organizations, and that organizations are generally better at collecting information and adopting learning attitudes, than they are at establishing the structures and processes they need to be truly adaptive. The research also finds that the barriers that make learning and adaptation more difficult for organizations are largely structural and related to aid system dynamics, while organizations benefit from enablers that are largely attributed to individual agency. This thesis argues for the important role that aid organizations can, and must play in making aid more effective – at the project, organization, and aid system levels. However, the aid system itself does not encourage learning. International aid organizations will therefore need to actively engage in learning if they are to play an effective role in development, and be a meaningful part of the system-level aid effectiveness dialogue.