Work in crisis: managing fantasies about distant strangers, managing aid workers

• Published in: Social & cultural geography Vol. 19; no. 6; pp. 812 - 830
• Main Author: Drążkiewicz-Grodzicka, E. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 18.08.2018; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: aid management; aid workers; aide étrangère; Aidland; Audiences; ayuda externa; Coordinators; Crises; Crisis; Foreign aid; gestion de l'aide; gestión de la ayuda; Head offices; NGOs; Nongovernmental organizations; OGN; ONGs; Rhetoric; Strangers; terre d'aide humanitaire; territorio de ayuda; trabajadores humanitarios; trabajo en crisis; travail en situation de crise; travailleurs humanitaires; Truth; Work; Workers
• ISSN: 1464-9365; 1470-1197
• DOI: 10.1080/14649365.2017.1312697

This article provides an insight into the world of Polish development workers operating in South Sudan. It shows that the conceptualisations of aid work in terms of a 'mission', a unique job with a special, ethical goal, a difficult, risky operation requiring specific skills are not incidental. Instead, the point is made, that such ways of thinking about foreign aid and distant locations are strongly institutionalised sets of values and behavioural patterns, here defined as 'work in crisis'. This specific notion is shaped by aid organisations who actively promote this rhetoric firstly through producing 'truth' about the aid work and project locations, and secondly through governing lived realities of the aid workers. The 'work in crisis' rhetoric helps to draw people into a development movement as devoted and allegiant followers. It also enables the management of these employees who are the most crucial for the industry - project coordinators - but who are separated from the organisational headquarters and NGO management by thousands of miles. Finally, it assists in the promotion of foreign aid among wider audiences in donor societies.