Contradictions and Confusions in Development Work Exploring the Realities of Bangladeshi NGOs

Ambiguous practices and identities of NGOs have become a source of increasing concern for all involved in development intervention. But apart from pointing at dishonest marketing and unfortunate unintended consequences of donors' support, how can we under-stand these ambiguities? Based on an et...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of South Asian development Vol. 3; no. 1; pp. 109 - 134
Main Author Arvidson, Malin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published B-42, Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi SAGE Publications 01.06.2008
Subjects
Bangladesh
empowerment
NGOs
participation
Samhällsvetenskap
Social Sciences
Sociologi
Sociologi (exklusive socialt arbete, socialpsykologi och socialantropologi)
Sociology
Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Anthropology, Demography and Criminology)
Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)
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Summary:Ambiguous practices and identities of NGOs have become a source of increasing concern for all involved in development intervention. But apart from pointing at dishonest marketing and unfortunate unintended consequences of donors' support, how can we under-stand these ambiguities? Based on an ethnographic study of local Bangladeshi NGOs, the article explores actions and behaviour of grassroots NGO staff. The article shows how, equipped with an ideal image of the altruistic development worker, the staff's encounter with reality provides them with contradictory and confusing messages as to who they should be and how they should act, resulting in disillusion and moral discord. The analysis examines concepts such as altruism, alienation, goal ambiguity, moral selving and moral discord, with an aim to expand our understanding of some moral dilemmas of development practice, its sources and unpredictable outcomes.
ISSN:0973-1741
0973-1733
0973-1733
DOI:10.1177/097317410700300105