This thesis examines how faith-based organisations (FBOs) engage at the sub-state level in the UK. Despite the important political role played by religion historically, in contrast to Scotland, FBO engagement has received very limited attention in the cases of post-devolution Wales and Northern Ireland. By conducting a comparative study of these two cases, the thesis addresses the central research question: ‘In what ways have faith-based organisations engaged with devolved political institutions at the sub-state level in the UK’. In terms of its structure, the thesis is divided into two parts. The first half provides the foundation for the empirical study by assessing the current literature on FBO engagement at the sub-state level in the UK. Following this, it establishes the theoretical framework by conceptualising the FBO as a pressure group. This also informs the research questions, variables and hypotheses investigated. The second half of the thesis reports on the empirical case study based research. The findings highlight how FBOs engaged with devolved political institutions by adapting their political advocacy structures. Each FBO has pursued an insider strategy, with strongly rooted FBOs often supplementing it with an outsider strategy. In response, the majority of FBOs have received a privileged insider status from government, with the exception of weakly rooted FBOs in Northern Ireland. As regards effectiveness, strongly rooted FBOs are well placed to act as effective pressure groups, as are weakly rooted FBOs if they have identified resources desired by decision makers and are in circumstances where a government has established sponsored structures for faith communities. This thesis’ main contribution is its empirical study of FBO engagement at the sub-state level in Wales and Northern Ireland. More general insights are achieved by triangulating the findings with existing studies from the Scottish case. The thesis also contributes more widely to the literature on religion and politics in the UK, pressure group theory and to the privatisation and de-privatisation of religion literature.

This research seeks to understand how, why and with what implications development NGOs based in the global ‘North’ (NDNGOs) establish and maintain domestic poverty programmes, working with poor communities in their own countries. This is an under-researched dimension of NDNGO work. There is considerable empirical work analysing the work of NDNGOs in the global ‘South’, particularly assessing their impact on poverty alleviation. However, research into their work with their domestic communities is scarce. There are also a number of critiques of NDNGOs, which highlight the need for them to re-think their future roles, but little research or empirical data to evaluate how they have responded to these challenges. This study situates itself in debates about the future role of NDNGOs, development ethics, theories of poverty and institutional practice, exploring the hypothesis that these issues may be the drivers of the domestic programmes. Using semi-structured interviews (UK and India), archive and corporate material from four case study NDNGOs (Oxfam GB, Islamic Relief UK, Save the Children, Denmark and Oxfam America), the study takes a perspectivist qualitative approach to data collection and analysis. It makes use of AtlasTi software for data coding, informed by Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, domains and doxa and Gaventa’s model of three- dimensional power. Findings highlight the utility of the initial hypothesis as a heuristic device for understanding domestic programmes. This has potential application for scholars and practitioners in the analysis of other NDNGO programmatic decisions. The study also indicates a disruption in the notion of what ‘development’ is, moving away from the binaries of ‘them and us’, ‘here and there’, ‘developed and developing’ into a development ethic that affirms that everyone matters, where ever they live. The research contributes to the literature examining the nature of development in an increasingly interdependent world in which geographical and disciplinary boundaries are increasingly blurred.

This research discusses transformational philanthropy and networks of cocreated value in Canada, focusing on the top segment Canadian philanthropists who make single donations of $5 Million CAD or more. This segment of donors, who with a single gift at that level can and do “transform” organizations by creating extraordinary value with a single donation. The context for this research is the sphere of post-secondary education, specifically universities and their affiliated medical institutions. Ultimately, this research attempts to answer the following questions: Why do donors make transformational donations? What are the characteristics of a “transformational donation” and, by extension, the “transformational donor”? How does the marketing literature, and more specifically, the cocreation construct, illuminate the donating behaviour of these philanthropists? And finally, what kind of experiences between the donor and the organization result in the donor making transformational donations? This body of qualitative research concludes that the act of transformational giving is not simply a dyadic relationship between the donor and the receiving organization, nor does the gift itself benefit only the “intended” or ultimate recipients. In Project one I develop the theoretical “philanthropic exchange system,” based on the literature. Building upon this theoretical development in Project one, in Project two, I propose an evolution of the “philanthropic exchange system,” further defining it as a philanthropic social system of reciprocal exchange and cocreated value, or, a “philanthropic ecosystem” as a metaphor to understand the complex web that underpins transformational giving. Project three elaborates this metaphor, based on more informant data, and suggests a self-sustaining constellation of networks comprising symbiotic interrelationships among the stakeholders – the donor, beneficiary organizations, as well as the people and micro-communities they each serve and support. It is suggested that the actions and interactions of the philanthropists have a “compounding” or leveraged effect on the philanthropic ecosystem, resulting in value creation that transcends the original donor-beneficiary dyad and extends its impact well beyond the boundaries of the initial relationship. Based on empirical evidence, this research proposes that transformational philanthropy is embedded in a philanthropic ecosystem – one that is defined more simply upon conclusion of this research project, as a network of cocreated value.

This dissertation aims to enhance our critical appreciation of the complexities of social change and the NGO phenomenon in the development process. The international development sector is a multi-actor arena within which NGOs interact with donors, states and grassroots communities. The growth of the NGO is studied through a socio-political analysis of British NGO projects in rural Pakistan. The relationships between macro and micro level actors are examined to reveal hierarchical structures of power which perpetuate inequalities and poverty. This analysis examines the development landscape and the roles of different actors from a post-structuralist perspective. With the application of Foucauldian notions of power/knowledge and dipositif (apparatus), the dominant development discourse is critiqued with particular focus on the neo-liberal reinterpretation of the participatory paradigm. It is argued through qualitative research findings that the autonomy of mainstream NGOs is compromised, at the cost of organic relationships with the vernacular. This investigation also provides an historical account of events which later contributed towards the 11 th September 2001. It questions the extent to which the power struggles between the Pakistani state and NGOs during the mid 1990s and the international aid system contributed towards the funding of political elements with network links to the Taleban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This dissertation is a reflexive, ethnographic study of relations between four small Cambodian NGOs and their funders. I take a non-normative approach to understanding the operations of power in aid relationships, drawing on social power theory, the anthropology of development and NGO literature to explain my findings. Taking an unusual, micro-level approach that charts the stories of individual actors involved in these relationships, I show that structural analysis of power relations tends to attribute too much power to the rationality of international organizations. My findings show that power is diffuse and both produces and is produced by webs of actors, from the North and the South, who move around Aidland, acting as brokers and translators of the meanings of projects, organizations and of what constitutes proper use of Aidbucks. I argue that the NGO literature needs to develop a more dynamic conceptualization of 'organization interfaces' that is not so interested in cultural differences per se, but rather how actors cope with tensions produced by such differences - particularly those related to money - within the cultural borderlands produced by the social processes of aid relations. I contend that analysis of power in NOD aid relations must pay more attention to money and proceed from a nuanced understanding of the the complexity of local NGO financial management and the social nature of financial accountability. This thesis makes an original contribution to development studies literature on NGO aid relations through its non-normative approach to researching the inter-play between the contingent and affective quality of relations between individual actors operating in cultural borderlands and the organizational systems for the management of the Aidbuck.

This thesis presents a case study of civil society in Libya, examining the development of civil society associations from 1969 up to the present time. The study argues for, and utilises, a broad definition of the term “civil society” that includes traditional associations. The World Bank definition of civil society provides the basis of the analysis. The latter is presented via a contrasting assessment of Libyan NGOs under two different political regimes. The relationship with the state is shown to have been the primary factor shaping their form and character whether in terms of numbers or activities. State control and the legal framework governing civil society were the primary factors that limited the autonomy of these associations, under the Qadhafi regime. With the sudden absence of the state during and after the 2011 uprising, NGO numbers mushroomed. Associations took the initiative to establish themselves through collective action. The study shows how quickly and effectively NGOs came together to confront the regime and to occupy the public space left by the displaced government in order to provide essential services. The NGOs were able to provide the framework to prevent the collapse of society, which was an indication of the latent strength, effectiveness and importance of civil society in Libya, despite the ongoing challenges faced due to the collapse of the Qadhafi state apparatus. The thesis findings challenge the prevalent assumption that civil society, as commonly defined, has little strength in the Arab world. The broader definition of civil society used in this study (in accordance with the World Bank definition of the term) helps to provide a wide understanding of civil society and is thereby shown to have useful applications in various contexts, outside the presumed European norm. The thesis uses a range of qualitative research methodologies including interviews, documentary data and observation.

There has been an increase in momentum around service user involvement in service evaluation, planning and delivery since the 1980’s. This change resulted from both the shift to market-led approaches to service provision, and the rise of influential service user and carer movements. Service user involvement is now a necessity for services in Health and Social Care; however, the coordination of these activities is complex and studies continue to reveal tokenistic practices. Large organisations, especially those with diverse service user populations, have an even greater challenge. Since the introduction of Any Qualified Provider, charitable organisations are now able to bid for statutory services. The British Red Cross has service user involvement at the heart of its corporate strategy, and has already won several statutory contracts. Nine individuals who had both used British Red Cross services and subsequently been involved in service user involvement initiatives took part in semi-structured interviews. The interview questioned them on their experiences and motivations for becoming involved. Each interview was transcribed and thematic analysis conducted on the data. Four themes were identified across the data, each indicating important areas in the process of service user involvement; ‘motivations when starting out’, ‘“I committed myself to them”’, ‘barriers and challenges’ and ‘room for improvement.’ Service user involvement was revealed to be patchy within the British Red Cross and participants indicated both a lack of clarity over their role, and lack of follow up after involvement. Despite this, participants described their experiences favorably and all expressed a desire to continue their involvement with the organisation. Key factors influencing participants decision to become involved initially differed from those that impacted on their on going involvement. Experiences key to the continued involvement of the participants were the social aspect of involvement, skills development, and feeling valued by the organisation. This study again highlighted the complexities of service user involvement within large diverse organisations. Implications of the findings for both the British Red Cross and similar organisations are considered.

Charities work throughout the world to raise money for a variety of good causes. Within the UK, the sale of donated used goods is a major stream of revenue for charities. Charities use a range of different logistical methods to collect donations that can run at considerable cost. This study has identified a range of different ways in which charities could change the way in which they operate to find cost, time and environmental savings and maximise use of their assets. One way in which charities can make the most of their existing assets is through improved placement of their donation banks. Of real interest is the impact that bank placement (with respect to the characteristics of the local population) has on stock yield and quality, and what relationships can be derived to realise a more informed bank location and servicing strategy. Donation banks were shown to yield greater amounts during the summer months, and proximity to services such as schools was also found to have a positive effect on donation yields. Areas with an average population age of late 40’s and of high affluence were found to yield the best quality donations. Charities can find cost savings by rethinking the ways that they collect, transport, process and distribute donated goods. The efficiency of localised collection strategy against centralised collection strategy has been studied. Existing routes used by the case study charity have been audited and subsequently optimised. Potential savings were found through increasing the number of shop serviced banks rather than servicing through centralised collection, although requiring a larger fleet of vehicles. The use of ICT technology has been considered in further improving charity logistical strategy. Remote monitoring technology can help to quantify donation collection routes, assist in reducing wasted journeys to donation banks and uncover the magnitude of donation bank textile theft. The developed Smartphone App has shown that it can help to promote collaboration and dynamism within the charity logistics supply chain. A cultural shift in the way that profits are measured will be necessary to see real collaboration between shops.

In Britain, during the latter years of the nineteenth and into the twentieth century, there was a plethora of philanthropic organisations introduced and managed by members of the established Anglo-Jewish community. The purpose of these organisations was, in part, to demonstrate that the influx of Eastern European Jewish immigrants was not a burden on Britain as a whole. In other words the aim was to show that Jews were prepared to care for their own people, financially and morally. Much has been written about the larger organisations but little, if anything, is recorded about some of the smaller societies which usually pursued a narrow and defined purpose. One such was the Jewish Education Aid Society. This thesis charts the affairs of this particular organisation beginning with its inception in 1896 as the Jewish Education Aid Committee and its re-structuring, in 1907, as the Jewish Education Aid Society. The thrust of the work is addressed in a general chapter covering the organisation and work of both the Committee and the Society, and touching on the lives of some of the early recipients. This is followed by three detailed case studies the purpose of which is to explore in depth the lives of these particular individuals and their immediate family members. These beneficiaries fulfilled the requirement for assistance, namely that each was a member of an impecunious Jewish family and was extremely talented, either academically or artistically. Support, financial and social, was given in order to develop their talents and future careers. The three recipients selected were all members of larger family units, thus the impact of such assistance within this structure has also been considered. It is this aspect of the Jewish immigrant’s experience, as the recipient of philanthropy, that is seldom addressed. This work aims to address the balance and is the first to explore the impact of British Jewish philanthropy from the ‘bottom up’.

NGOs now have a history spanning almost three decades in Nepal, with origins that are rooted in both party politics and international pressures for liberalisation beginning in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands of national and international NGOs work on a range of issues encompassing development, human rights, democracy and, most recently, peacebuilding, the vast majority funded and supported by Western donors. As NGOs were rising to prominence as a potential force for social change in the early 1990s, the Left was also beginning to organise, and denounced NGOs as agents of imperialism. The Maoists came to prominence by fighting a revolutionary war to improve life for the poor peasant majority, but after a decade-long People's War, the Maoists became incorporated into the parliamentary system. While the 1990 revolution met formal, popular political demands for democracy, consolidated with the overthrow of the monarchy as a result of the 2006 revolution, there has been little economic progress for the mass of the population. The Maoists' subsequent decision to join mainstream politics meant that any potential for fundamental economic redistribution was postponed, and bourgeois democracy re-stabilised. This stabilisation relied on the interplay of two phenomena: an anti-Maoist alliance consisting of the international community, business federations, the domestic ruling elite and NGOs, and a fundamental ambiguity at the heart of the Maoists' political theory. At a number of crucial moments in the struggle, the Maoists' conviction that Nepal was not economically prepared for social transformation led to moments of hesitation and confusion, which were successfully exploited by the state and its supporters. The interventions of NGOs in particular played a decisive role in resolving these moments of upheaval in ways that protected elite interests and facilitated the incorporation of the Maoists into conventional, mainstream politics. This process in turn has had a profound impact on the Maoists' politics and organisation. Key priorities and approaches adopted by NGOs have been internalised and reproduced by the Maoists, including the foregrounding of ethnic politics over class politics, which has the potential to polarise Nepali society along ethnic lines. It is argued that such approaches were latent in the Maoists' theory of revolution but were crystallised through the agency of NGOs.