From ‘Christians doing development’ to ‘doing Christian development’: the changing role of religion in the international work of Tearfund

This article seeks to bring more nuance to recent discussions about the role of faith in religious development NGOs. It takes an in-depth look at Tearfund, a leading Evangelical development NGO, and explores the ways in which faith shapes its conceptualisation of development, its programme design, and its implementation strategy. The article traces the process through which Tearfund actively sought to bring faith into the centre of its development work, and argues that grappling with faith in this way can lead religious development NGOs to innovate new approaches to development that are at least somewhat outside of mainstream development thinking.     

Teaching international relations in Singapore 1956-2008: from supporting development to global city aspirations?

This preliminary survey of international relations (IR) teachingin Singapore argues that while the hegemonic goals of the nation-statehave been pervasive since 1956, the influences upon IR teachinghave become more complex and subtle in tandem with Singapore'stransition from pristine developmentalism to an aspiring globalcity. Today, IR teaching has acquired characteristics of a divisionof labor among the main universities, research institutes, andbusiness-oriented schools. Nonetheless, the dialectics of whetherthe future lies in open-ended knowledge inquiry or hewing tosome version of state-associated pragmatism remains unresolved. Received for publication August 28, 2008. Accepted for publication October 7, 2008.     

Considered choices for funding decisions: how to calculate the real cost of donor-funded projects; when to say “yes” and when to say “no”

NGOs regularly seek funding from a variety of donors, to help them to deliver worthwhile activities. Often the activities work well and a donor covers the full cost. But sometimes a successful funding proposal can make the organisation vulnerable, by committing itself to additional overhead expenditure not covered by a donor. This article looks at a system whereby the financial aspects of project proposals can be assessed earlier, before funding is applied for and accepted – providing a way of knowing the impact on the organisation and its staff, and allowing organisations to calculate the real cost of donor-funded projects.

Choix réfléchis pour les décisions relatives au financement : comment calculer le véritable coût des projets financés par les bailleurs de fonds ; quand dire « oui » et quand dire « non »

Les ONG cherchent régulièrement à obtenir des fonds auprès d'une variété de bailleurs de fonds pour pouvoir mener des activités louables. Souvent, les activités donnent de bons résultats et le bailleur de fonds couvre le coût total. Mais quelquefois, une proposition de financement couronnée de succès peut rendre l'organisation vulnérable, en l'engageant à encourir des frais généraux supplémentaires non couverts par un bailleur de fonds. Cet article examine un système dans le cadre duquel les aspects financiers des propositions de projet peuvent être évalués plut tôt, avant que le financement ne soit demandé et approuvé – ce qui donne le moyen de déterminer l'impact sur l'organisation et son personnel, et permet aux organisations de calculer les véritables coûts des projets financés par des bailleurs de fonds.

Opciones sopesadas ante la necesidad de tomar decisiones de financiamiento: cómo calcular el costo real de proyectos financiados por donantes; cuándo es preciso decir “sí” o decir “no”

Cotidianamente, las ong buscan el financiamiento de varios donantes, con el fin de proveer distintas actividades útiles. A menudo, las actividades tienen el resultado esperado y el donante recupera el costo total de su inversión. Pero a veces, una propuesta de proyecto exitosa puede provocar vulnerabilidad para la organización, en tanto se ve en la situación de tener que hacer frente a gastos fijos adicionales no financiados por el donante. El presente artículo examina un sistema que, desde una etapa temprana, permite valorar los aspectos financieros de las propuestas de proyecto, antes de que el financiamiento sea solicitado y se apruebe. Ello permite conocer el impacto que el proyecto tendrá en la organización y en el personal, así como también calcular el costo real de los proyectos financiados por donantes.

Escolhas consideradas para as decisões de financiamento: como calcular o custo real de projetos financiados por doadores; quando dizer “sim” e quando dizer “não”

As ONGs buscam regularmente financiamento de vários doadores para os ajudar a implementar atividades proveitosas. Frequentemente as atividades funcionam bem e um doador financia todos os custos. Mas às vezes uma proposta de financiamento bem-sucedida pode tornar a organização vulnerável quando esta se compromete a arcar com despesas adicionais em geral não financiadas pelo doador. Este artigo examina um sistema em que os aspectos financeiros das propostas de projetos possam ser avaliados previamente, antes que o financiamento seja solicitado e aceito – apresentando uma maneira de se conhecer o impacto sobre a organização e seus funcionários e, assim, permitindo que a organização calcule o custo real dos projetos financiados por doadores.     

Moving beyond rethinking the ‘state of the state’: to the challenge of reshaping international contributions to peace operations

The need for an accurate understanding of the environment into which peace- and capacity-building missions are deployed cannot be overstated. Suppositions about the mission environment inform every facet of an intervention's design and implementation, in addition to expectations surrounding success. Yet this critical element continues to be misunderstood by those most in need of an accurate grasp, a condition which severely undermines the war to peace transition. Rather than continuing to assume that recipient ‘states’ are states in the Western sense of the term, we must instead focus our energies on how best to enable sustainable peace in the hybrid political orders which do in fact constitute these troubled places. After setting out the largely unrecognised characteristics of recipient societies, the article explores alternative forms of assistance with promise to complement such realities.     

Promotion of democracy as a foreign policy instrument of ‘Europe’: Limits to international idealism

The promotion of democracy abroad was a much published issue in ‘European’ foreign policy during the 1990s. Based on five case studies, this article argues that the policy had very clear limitations to it. The limits were mainly imposed by the high priority given to security, and secondly they were the result of the institutional structure and the political‐bureaucratic culture of the European Community. However, it would be wrong to conclude that the policy declarations on democracy were not important to the European Community/European Union and to the member states. The issue was definitely important, but that was because it served other purposes. First, the promotion of democracy abroad was conceived as one among a number of instruments promoting European security in the post‐cold war era. Secondly, promotion of democracy internationally contributed to the higher profile in world affairs that Europe had sought since 1958. And thirdly, this international profile might have pushed the integration process forward within Europe.     

Responses to the ‘policy science’ problem: reflections on the politics of development

Taking as its point of departure the failure of the ‘policy science’ project, the article discusses the declining authority of ‘one size fits all’ policy advice. It relates this to the absence of a robust empirical basis for such positions, as shown by the cross-country regressions literature, and relates it also to changes in a range of disciplines, including natural sciences and mathematics. It discusses the rising tolerance for inconsistency between implementation logics and argues that these issues, while of general importance, are most obvious in the context of development, where ‘one size fits all’ policy logics have been heavily contested.     

The marginalisation of participation “as an end” development: an Ecuadorean case study

The evolution of participatory practices clearly evidences movement away from local participatory projects implemented with the use of participatory methodologies such as participatory rural appraisal, and towards citizen participation in government activities. This trend reflects development discourse concerning participation, and in particular responds to the critique aimed at local participatory development. Using case study data from Ecuador, the article discusses the previously overlooked effects of this phenomenon, namely a uniformity of participatory development practice and a lack of opportunities for people to engage in development activities that provide participation “as an end” benefits such as empowerment and confidence-building.     

“It is Possible to Have Another World”Sidelights of the Second Meeting of the World Social Forum

AttheinvitationoftheFrenchCatholicCom－mitteeagainstHungerandforDevelopment，Iasamemberofathree－peopleworkinggroupfromChineseAssociationforInternationalUnderstand－ingattendedthesecondmeetingof″TheWorldSo－cialForum″thatwasheldfromJanuary３１toFebruary５inPortoAlegre，RioGrandedoSulstateofsouthBrazil．″TheWorldSocialForum″isfamousforitspurposeof″anti－globalization″anditsperfor－manceinchallenging″TheWorldEconomicFo－rum″．Thefirstmeetingof″TheWorldSocialForum″thatwashe…     

A Review of: “Julia Sukys. Silence is Death: The Life and Work of Tahar Djaout.”

This article looks at Internet use by insurgent groups in the North Caucasus in the context of a regional diffusion of violence. Using a mixed methods research design that combines hyperlink network analysis and micro-discourse analysis, it examines the online characteristics of the Caucasus Emirate and the main frames conveyed by the websites affiliated with the Emirate. It demonstrates the existence of a network of cross-referencing websites that, collectively, articulate the Emirate's political agenda online and allow for the dissemination of frames across the Web. It also shows that while jihadism provides a cultural resource that fosters a global sense of community, the jihadization of discourse does not eradicate local references as the local dynamics of the conflict have a strong impact on online communicative strategies. Finally, although based on a specific case study, this article highlights the potential of a mixed methods research design as applied to an analysis of virtual insurgent networks.     

Ten “Rs” of Social Reaction: Using Social Media to Analyse the “Post-Event” Impacts of the Murder of Lee Rigby

This article provides a case study analysis of social reactions to the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in 2013. Informed by empirical data collected by systematic monitoring of social media platforms, the analysis identifies a number of online behaviours with offline effects—labeled the ten “Rs”—that collectively constitute the process of social reaction to the crime. These are defined as: reporting; requesting; responding; recruiting; “risking”; retaliating; rumouring; remembering; reheating; and “resiliencing”. It is argued that the ability to observe these behaviours through the application of qualitative social media analysis has considerable potential. Conceptually, the analysis provides new insight into the complex and chaotic processes of sense-making and meaning attribution that arise in the aftermath of terrorist attacks. It illuminates how patterns of social reaction on social media are nuanced and complicated, with different segments of the public interpreting the same developments very differently. In addition, the findings and the conceptual framework outlined have implications for policy and practice development in terms of establishing a more effective and evidence-based approach to the consequence management of “post-event” conflict dynamics and social reactions.     

“Another National Milestone”: Canada's 1927 Election to the Council of the League of Nations

Ten days after announcing its candidature, and amidst some surprise, Canada was elected to a non-permanent seat on the Council of the League of Nations. This article will show how and why this came about. In so doing, it will demonstrate that Canada's election was an important episode from several perspectives. First, it was a milestone in Canada's gradual international coming of age, confirming that it was entitled to all the rights and responsibilities of League membership. Second, it was a significant step in the development of the Commonwealth into an association of equals. And, third, it contributed to the gelling of the emerging group system in elections to the League Council.     

“Possession is Nine Tenths of the Law”: Britain and the Boundaries of Eastern Europe since 1945

This article argues that British policy on boundaries in Eastern Europe after 1945 was based on hardheaded Realpolitik whereby the justice of any given border was of entirely secondary importance to wider policy imperatives. British disregard for the legal and moral merits (or demerits) of respective cases was justified by British policy makers on two counts: firstly, international relations could not assess boundary disputes on a case-by-case basis as such thinking had undermined international stability to the point of global conflagration after 1918; secondly, British policy makers declared that it was their aim to stabilize the international system by means of détente. In reality, the proclaimed goal of universally beneficial goals by means of a “pragmatic” consolidation of the status quo hid a real desire to institutionalise a system that was seen as the best possible option for Britain given the harsh reality of its relative decline after 1945.

“There is no government on earth which divulges its affairs less than England, or is more punctually informed of those of others.”

—Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador to London in the Sixteenth Century.