Abstract
In studies concerning overseas development assistance (ODA) and foreign aid, the underlying theme has in most cases revolved around the problems of definition and context. What are specific actors in the field and at home trying to achieve and how do they understand and interpret development? Emma Mawdsley approaches these issues in the context of the changing architecture of global development and emerging and (re-)emerging powers, providing a balanced argument on key issues that have often eluded those with an interest in the global structure and politics of aid. The author displays a sensitivity to regional contexts in dealing with the various state and non-state actors involved in her discussion of these themes, acknowledging the difficulties of determining the benefits and flaws of foreign aid, as a result of contextual variations both across states and regions, as well as internally between civil society and government organizations and administrations.
The content of this book provides a much needed critical analysis of changing global relations under the veil of development and foreign aid, focusing in particular on emerging and (re-)emerging development cooperation partners, the shift from becoming aid recipients to donors, and the ways in which this shift has restructured diplomacy and the aid architecture on a regional and global level. Mawdsley draws from the fields of geography, international relations, anthropology, development studies and the political sciences, providing a multidisciplinary approach to the thesis. Throughout the book, the author’s central argument stresses the political nature of the distribution of foreign aid and the need to identify what this reveals about global relations, as well as about ODA. Essentially it is an exercise in mapping out the boundaries and contours of social, political and economic relations on a global level. Much of the focus is also directed towards identifying how emerging powers are affecting dominant ideologies of foreign aid and development, and restructuring mainstream notions of global governance.
Mawdsley sets out to identify the historical lineages that have led to the current scenario, using numerous case studies to delineate the rift that exists between North and South, and how this has evolved since the 1950s. Many of the case studies deal with China, India, Russia and Brazil (BRIC), and there are also case studies that deal with: Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Venezuela, Poland, Japan and South Africa, as well as the OPEC and EEC states. The focus on China and India elucidates the theme of (re-)emerging development partners, by focusing on two of the largest and most prominent emerging global actors, with very different approaches to development and foreign aid and a nuanced reception by Western donors. China has been the more vocal of the two in advocating for an approach of non-interference in other states’ affairs, respect for sovereignty, and a stress on partnership and cooperation – Mawdsley underlines the benefits of this approach, as well as the inherent contradictions.
Indeed many of the Southern development partners have underlined the need for partnership rather than the more mainstream donor–recipient relationship. The author argues that following the humiliation of colonialism, and the post-colonial dependency of the South on aid from Western countries, many of the recipient states have welcomed the partnership approach that places them on a somewhat level playing field, and challenges the mainstream structure of Western hegemony. In this regard, South–South development partnership focuses less on the distribution of aid and poverty reduction, and more on technical cooperation, exchange of resources and services, building infrastructure and enhancing economic growth. The author is however careful to point out that this approach may suffer the backlash of favouring elite groups, ignoring internal class disparities and lacking transparency – outlining that economic growth does not necessarily point to poverty reduction. She emphasizes a distinction must be drawn between poor countries and poor people in order to gauge the level of economic and political stability.
Of particular significance is the author’s focus on definitions, context and the blurring of boundaries between donors and recipients, as well as between foreign aid and commercial investments. The exclusivity of the DAC is also stressed throughout the book, where it is assimilated to a club of Western donors perpetuating Western hegemony and notions of superiority and inferiority, a situation that is quickly changing to some extent, as aid recipients acquire more agency and delineate the nature of development they want and need. Non-DAC donors offer an alternative to the traditional forms of aid and development: development conducted by Southern states which, the author suggests and rightly so, may be more attuned to the needs and contexts of other Southern states. The platform for South–South cooperation is built upon mutual cooperation and reciprocity, although as Mawdsley points out, this may be the case in theory but is not always so in practise, and again points to the contextual variations which shape these interactions and transactions.
Mawdsley’s arguments are structured in such a way as to clearly depict the flow of change brought about by the emergence and (re-)emergence of global actors. Her attention to contextual variations allows little linearity to the evolution of the development landscape, with some states profiting from their new donor status (the move from the G6 to the G20) at the expense of others. The opportunities created by new approaches introduced by former aid recipients, and the resultant creation of more inclusive global forums such as the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF), are emblematic of a convergence of North and South that may see a redefinition of the terms and ideologies that construct the current aid and development architecture.
This book presents a much needed condensed analysis of global development and diplomacy. While some may argue that the book may be too broad in its approach, it stands out precisely for its amalgamation of contextual analyses of various emerging donors that have not until recently, had much visibility in this area. It is an essential resource for anyone interested in development studies, international relations and the changing face of global development.