Over 200 million women and girls alive today have been victims of Female Geni-tal Mutilation / Cutting, and another 3,6 million are at risk every year. This tradi-tional practice is widespread and has gained a lot of attention from Non-governmental organizations, scholars and medical professionals around the world, stating warnings about the harmful effects. Yet, the prevalence and continuance are still not regressing in a desirable rate. Many countries have enacted legislative actions against the practice, among these countries is the West African nation of The Gambia. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine and analyse what experiences and perceptions NGOs in The Gambia have with using legislative ac-tion against FGM /C, how their work has changed due to the legislation as well as examine their perception on local community attitudes towards the law. This has been done using the theories of Cultural Relativism vs Universalism and through selected concepts within Hofstede's Theory of Cultural Dimensions. This study will theorise what happens when a law representing western norms and values gets implemented in a society where culture, traditions and the collective group is high-ly important. Our findings show that The Gambia, in particularly local communi-ties, holds a strong cultural relativistic mentality and is characterized by a collec-tivistic culture in which the power distance is high. This society puts emphasis on collective identity, solidarity and collective decisions as well as traditional heritage and cultural values. Implementing a law that promotes western values thus brings problems and a lack of efficiency.

This study aims to compare two Swedish Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (ENGO:s) in relationship to their international establishment, for the purpose to gain a more nuanced knowledge of how they operate to achieve their goals, and a better understanding of the challenges and benefits the different international establishments can bring. We interviewed two ENGO:s, Naturskyddsföreningen and Jordens Vänner, on the basis of two main issues:- How can work to influence environmental policy differ between a Swedish ENGO and an international ENGO operating in Sweden?- What are the challenges and benefits of influencing Swedish environmental policy for ENGO:s in Sweden that are different internationally established?This study used the method of Most Similar System Design to answer the main issues in the selection of cases, and further a semi-structured interview was used to collect empirical data. The main theory to analyse the data drew from Beyers (2004) conceptualisation of mobilization strategies in from of access and voice.The empirical study shows that the difference in international establishments indeed brings both challenges and advantages to the ENGO:s operationalization. The Swedish established Naturskyddsföreningen could engage in a more local matter, were they influenced both members to be more active and local politicians and political decision-makers. But the inefficient way to combine both access and voice proved to be a challenge in articulating certain core issues. The international established Jordens Vänner showed a different way of conducting environmental policy, by using their international networks as a way of influencing the policy process. But restrains from their internationally management proved limit the space and possibility to operate.Keywords: NGO, ENGO, environmental governance, policy process, mobilization strategies, institutional actors, local engagement, networks

There has been a rise non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as part of a global health system that seeks to treat children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) in resource-poor countries. As a craniofacial abnormality, CLP affects a child’s ability to communicate and consume food, and the stigma associated with the condition leads to both social and physiological suffering. International NGOs use an apolitical humanitarian rhetoric to justify the need to provide this life-saving surgery. This thesis assesses CLP interventions by applying a critique of neoliberalism to explore the ways economic rationalities are extended to the domain of humanitarianism. By employing an ethnographic approach of “studying up,” this thesis critiques a North American NGO, referred to as Mission Smile. To reveal how neoliberal rationalities are embedded within the organization, this research draws on data from media analysis, participant observation, and interviews with medical volunteers and employees at Mission Smile. This thesis argues that neoliberal rationalities permeate throughout the organization. Economic calculus are not only embedded in the organization’s goal to provide surgery to “as many children as possible,” but also undergirds the distribution of humanitarian aid. Moreover, the surgery Mission Smile provides is described as an “investment in a child’s future” that enable children with CLP to become a contributing member of society. While this study reveals how neoliberal rationalities can converge with values of humanitarianism, it also shows that the extension of neoliberal rationalities into new domains is not a cohesive process. Volunteers describe an emergence of communitas, a feeling of bubbling joy and a shared humanity, and a development of a moral relationship with their recipients that lies partially outside the domain of market rationalities. / Graduate

Tesis por compendio / [EN] Within the field of development management, an emerging critique to the aid system has gained prominence. It focuses on how the dominant language and logics in the aid sector have depoliticised the issues of development, thus reducing them to purely technical and managerial problems. These problems are supposed to be managed by experts, who are considered to have the capacity of total control over development processes. This trend, which has been called managerialism, avoids issues of political economy, power or conflict, and assumes the logics, values, discourses and procedures of the private sector (focusing then on issues as "efficiency", "products" or "impact" of development projects). In this process, development organizations become mere service-providers, they have been co-opted by the global neoliberal agenda, and their actions serve to reinforce unequal power relationships. From this analysis, it is possible to obtain insights for rethinking development and aid, reframing them as complex, political and intrinsically conflictive processes. Moreover, some critics to managerialism also suggest that a (re)politicised perspective on development and aid should also be transformative, and that development organizations should recognise and value alternative systems of knowledge and personal and societal projects; should contribute to examining alternative development models, beyond productivist capitalism and market-driven liberal democracy; and should place bottom-up processes of change at the centre. The research also departs from the idea that, within the aid system, a small and scarcely visible group of people and development organizations are trying to promote alternative discourses and practices of development and aid that, instead of reinforcing the advancement of the neoliberal global agenda, are challenging it. From this standpoint, the aims of the thesis are, on the one hand, to explore how a political and transformative practice of development and aid could be characterised; and on the other hand, to explore how this political and transformative practice is taking place, and how it could be promoted in different spaces. The research explores three spaces in which these practices may be taking place and could be promoted, approaching case studies in different environments: 1) in formal education, addressing the learning process in a Master's degree in development management; 2) in the practice of development itself, addressing how learning takes place in informal processes through the relationships between Spanish development organizations and their partners in Latin America; 3) in the adoption of a new management approach in development organizations, specifically exploring the processes and implications of the adoptions of a rights-based approach in Spanish organizations. The methodology used is essentially qualitative, based on secondary data and primary data obtained through personal interviews and group discussions. Given the exploratory nature of the study, its aim is to propose concepts and hypotheses, identify the dimensions of the subject and processes under study, and propose possible connections between them. Results suggest that the characteristics and the processes that lead to a political and transformative practice of development and aid are not completely separate issues. The thesis also reveals that this political and transformative perspective is intrinsically problematic, full of contradictions, tensions and paradoxes. Far from being resoluble, the work suggests that these tensions should be accepted and dealt with, as they are part of the intrinsic nature of development and social change. / [ES] Dentro del ámbito de los estudios de gestión del desarrollo, se ha articulado una crítica al sistema de cooperación de creciente importancia que pone en el centro la cuestión del gerencialismo. Analiza cómo los nuevos lenguajes y lógicas en el sector estarían despolitizando las cuestiones del desarrollo, que quedarían reducidas a simples problemas técnicos y de gestión, manejables por expertos a los que se les atribuye una total capacidad de control de los procesos. El gerencialismo evita cuestiones de economía política, de poder y conflicto para asumir la lógica, los valores, discursos y procedimientos del sector privado (hablando así de cuestiones como eficacia, productos o impacto de los proyectos de desarrollo). En este proceso, las organizaciones de desarrollo, convertidas en prestadoras de servicios, habrían quedado cooptadas por la agenda neoliberal global, y sus acciones estarían reforzando relaciones desiguales de poder. Sobre la base de estos análisis, se puede obtener elementos para repensar la cooperación y el desarrollo y resituarlos como procesos complejos, políticos e intrínsecamente conflictivos. Además, estas críticas invitan también a partir de la idea de que una perspectiva (re)politizada debe ser también transformadora, de que las organizaciones de desarrollo deben reconocer y valorar conocimientos y proyectos de vida y sociedad alternativos a los dominantes; contribuir a profundizar en modelos alternativos de desarrollo más allá del productivismo capitalista y la democracia liberal de mercado, y situar los procesos de cambio desde abajo en el centro. Se entiende también que dentro del sistema de cooperación, si bien de manera minoritaria y poco visible, personas y organizaciones de desarrollo estarían promoviendo discursos y prácticas de la cooperación y el desarrollo distintos, alineados con las ideas señaladas y que, en lugar de ser funcionales al avance del modelo neoliberal globalizado, lo estarían retando. Por tanto, los objetivos de esta tesis son, por un lado, explorar una posible caracterización de una práctica política y transformadora de la cooperación y el desarrollo; por otro, explorar cómo se produce y puede promoverse esta práctica política y transformadora en diferentes espacios. El trabajo explora tres espacios en los que estas prácticas puedan estar dándose y puedan promoverse. Se aproxima así a casos de estudio vinculados a, en primer lugar, la enseñanza formal, abordando el proceso de aprendizaje en un máster en gestión del desarrollo. En segundo lugar, la propia práctica de la cooperación, analizando cómo se producen aprendizajes de manera informal y emergente en las relaciones establecidas entre organizaciones de desarrollo del Estado español y sus aliados en América Latina. Por último, la incorporación de nuevos enfoques de gestión en las organizaciones, teniendo en cuenta los procesos e implicaciones a la hora de incorporar el enfoque basado en derechos en organizaciones del Estado español. La metodología empleada en todos los casos es esencialmente cualitativa, fundamentada en el análisis de información secundaria e información primaria obtenida de entrevistas y grupos de discusión. Al ser la orientación del trabajo exploratoria, trata de proponer conceptos, apuntar hipótesis, identificar distintas dimensiones del objeto de estudio y distintos factores de los procesos estudiados, así como apuntar posibles conexiones entre ellos. Los resultados sugieren que las características y las formas de avanzar hacia una práctica de la cooperación política transformadora no son cuestiones tan distintas. La tesis revela también que la perspectiva política y transformadora que se sugiere es intrínsecamente problemática, llena de contradicciones, tensiones y paradojas. Lejos de ser resolubles, el trabajo invita a pensar que estas tensiones deberían más bien ser asumidas y manejadas como tales, ya que estarían en la propia / [CA] Dins l'àmbit dels estudis de la gestió del desenvolupament, s'ha articulat una crítica al sistema de cooperación al desenvolupament que a anat prenent importància i que posa al centre la qüestió del gerencialisme. Analitza com els nous llenguatges i lògiques del sector estarien despolititzant les qüestions del desenvolupament, que quedarien reduïdes a simples problemas tècnics i de gestió, manejables per experts que tindrien una total capacitat de control dels procesos. El gerencialisme evita qüestions d'economia política, de poder i de conflicte, per assumir la lògica, valors, discursos i procediments del sector privat (parlant així de qüestions com eficàcia, productes o impactes dels projectes de desenvolupament). En este procés, les organitzacions de desenvolupament, convertides en prestadores de servicis, haurien quedat cooptades per l'agenda neoliberal global, i les seues accions estarien reforçant relacions desiguals de poder. Sobre la base d'estes anàlisi, es poden obtindre elements per repensar la cooperació i el desenvolupament i resituar-los com a processos complexos, polítics i intrínsecament conflictius. A més, estes crítiques inviten a partir de la idea de que una perspectiva (re)polititzada deu ser també transformadora, de que les organitzacions de desenvolupament deuen reconéixer i valorar els coneiximents i projectes de vida i societat alternatius als dominants; contribuir a aprofundir en models alternatius de desenvolupament, més enllà del productivisme capitalista i la democràcia liberal de mercat, i situar els processos de canvi des de baix al centre. Es pot entendre també que dins el sistema de cooperació, encara que d'una manera minoritària i poc visible, persones i organitzacions de desenvolupament estarien construïnt discursos i pràctiques de la cooperació i el desenvolupament distints que, en lloc d'ésser funcionals a l'avanç del model neoliberal, l'estarien reptant. Per tant, els objectius d'esta tesi son, per una banda, explorar una possible caracterització d'una pràctica política i transformadora de la cooperació i el desenvolupament; per l'altra, explorar com es produeix i es pot promoure esta pràctica política i transformadora en diversos espais. El treball explora tres espais als quals estes pràctiqeus podrien estar donant-se i podrien ser promogudes. S'aproxima així a casos d'estudi vinculats a, en primer lloc, l'ensenyament formal, abordant el procés d'aprenentatge en un màster en gestió del desenvolupament. En segon lloc, la propia pràctica de la cooperació, analitzant com es produeixen aprenentatges de manera informal i emergent en relacions que vinculen organitzations de l'Estat espanyol amb aliats de l'Amèrica Llatina. Per últim, la incorporació de nous enfocaments de gestió en les organitzacions, tenint en compte els procesos i implicacions d'incorporar un enfocament basat en drets en organitzacions de l'Estat espanyol. La metodologia que s'ha utilitzat en tots els casos d'estudi és essencialment qualitativa, fonamentada en l'analisi d'informació secundària i d'informació primària obtinguda d'entrevistes i grups de discusió. Com que el treball té una orientació exploratòria, es tracta de proposar conceptes, apuntar hipòtesi, identificar dimensions de l'objecte d'estudi i distints factors dels procesos estudiats, així com possibles connexions entre ells. Els resultats suggereixen que les característiques i les formes d'avançar cap a una pràctica política y transformadora de la cooperació no són qüestions tan distintes. La tesi revela també que la perspectiva política i transformadora que es suggereix és intrínsecament problemàtica, plena de contradiccions, tensions i paradoxes. Lluny d'ésser resolubles, el treball invita a pensar que estes tensions deurien ésser assumides i manejades com a tals, ja que estarien en la pròpia essència del desenvolupament i el canvi social. / Belda Miquel, S. (2015). Del gerencialismo a la política: explorando las características, los espacios y los procesos de construcción de una práctica transformadora del desarrollo y la cooperación [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/57807 / TESIS / Premios Extraordinarios de tesis doctorales / Compendio

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The shrinking space for civil society and the increasing number of unfavorable legislation affecting the work of non-governmental organizations continue to be burning issues for global philanthropy. Using a case study approach, this thesis explores how democracies regulate the operation of foreign-funded non-governmental organizations in Hungary and Israel. This thesis examines what the presumed and real motivations of democratic governments are to adapt such regulations and how the political, economic and socio-cultural environments might influence their enactment. This thesis also compares the Hungarian and Israeli regulations to the 1938 Foreign Agents Registration Act.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(教育学) / 甲第20043号 / 教博第196号 / 新制||教||163(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院教育学研究科教育科学専攻 / (主査)教授 杉本 均, 准教授 南部 広孝, 教授 西平 直 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Education) / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地域研究) / 甲第24150号 / 地博第307号 / 新制||地||119(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院アジア・アフリカ地域研究研究科グローバル地域研究専攻 / (主査)教授 中溝 和弥, 教授 藤倉 達郎, 准教授 池亀 彩, 准教授 中村 沙絵 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Area Studies / Kyoto University / DGAM

In a globalized social welfare market, where international and national NGOs influence social service delivery in community’s worldwide, the demands on mutual exchange, shared responsibilities, and transnational collaborations has increased. However, there are some challenges that NGOs face in this work. Lack in coordination of donor funded projects have enabled overlapping responsibility in service provision and a rivalry between NGOs in retrieving funds, witch in it turn has hindered the communication of knowledge between NGOs in the social work field. To create good practice, the basic assumption is that NGOs have to be able to learn from past experiences, a process known as organizational learning. One way of realizing organizational learning, is through evaluation. The success of an evaluation is further closely linked with the utilization of the knowledge gained. The purpose of this study is to discover how knowledge gained through an evaluation made by the Swedish organization IOGT-NTO, has been used within the non-governmental organization of UYDEL, and how this knowledge is communicated to the organizations stakeholders. To realize our purpose, we conducted a field study within UYDEL in Kampala, Uganda. The material, collected through interviews and observations, was later transcribed and analyzed, in relation to our theoretical framework. The theoretical framework includes basic theories on organizational learning, evaluation and communication. Our results indicate that issues that initially introduced themselves in this evaluation, later was reintroduced in our material, and thus still remained a problem within UYDEL. What seemed to hinder organizational learning was the organizations over-dependency on its donors, which affected its sustainability, and could be seen as a consequence of the misplacement of recourses within the organization.

What makes an non-governmental organisation (NGO) agile and resilient towards changes, pressures or uncertainties at community, state or macro-political level? By adopting a single case study based on semi-structured interviews and fieldwork, this thesis will dive into the life-world of a community-based NGO based in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. Social Needs Education and Human Awareness (SNEHA) has since founding in the 1980s had a strong rights-based identity and evolved through various phases of community organising, disaster relief work, evidence-based advocacy and upholding of fisher communities traditional and customary rights. Throughout its evolution, it has faced several challenges and pressures threatening the stability of the organisation and community, including the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. By combining a theoretical base of actor-network and social interface theory, this thesis argues that a broader, more comprehensive understanding of organisational and community resilience can be achieved. Seven factors have been identified as particularly contributing to organisations resilience and stability, mainly associated with having clear organisational identity, loyal staff, and a combination of centralised and decentralised structures. This thesis contributes to the understanding of resilience of community-based NGOs, contextualising their challenges within broader networks and advocating for donor support that aligns with local knowledge and organisational development in an increasingly complex context along the Indian coastline.

Syftet med uppsatsen var att undersöka vilka retoriska strategier som används i texter publicerade på djurrättsorganisationen Djurens Rätts respektive människorättsorganisationen Amnestys webbsida, och vilka likheter och skillnader det finns organisationernas argumentation emellan. Vidare bestod metoden av en deskriptiv argumentationsanalys med utgångspunkt i fem olika argumentationstyper. Resultatet påvisade likheter vad gäller förekomsten av orsaks-och konsekvensargument, exempelargument och analogiargument medan märkbara skillnader fanns i anknytning till auktoritetsargument och regelargument. Skillnaderna skulle till viss del kunna förklaras i relation till Djurens Rätts och Amnestys olika arbetsområden samt de kontraster som finns vad gäller social och juridisk status mellan djurs respektive människors rättigheter. Slutligen är det möjligt att likheterna i organisationernas reotrik beror på likartade arbetssätt och syften.