Overview

Local faith-based NGOs (FBOs) are a major force in international development. Almost all religious traditions call followers to charity and non-profits are often the perfect vehicles for such work. FBOs are seen as having long-term commitments to local communities, focus and spiritual strength in the face of difficult conditions, and compassionate staff members. Indeed, there is a growing body of research demonstrating the effectiveness of faith-based health and social services. However, history has shown that religious faith also carries the potential for violence and exclusion. Especially for FBOs working in countries plagued by religious conflict, this reality can highlight dubious and harmful undercurrents in their work. """"For the Love of God"""" examines the ways history and religious identity influences FBOs in Lebanon, Sri Lanka and Bosnia Herzegovina and finds that they often reinforce rather than transcend schisms found in the larger society. Based on over 100 interviews with FBO staffers in these countries, Flannigan reveals the darker, more ambivalent side of altruism.

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9781565493070

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An important and much-needed contribution to the literature on FBOs...provides useful insights into the complex relationship between religious identity, civil society, and conflict.

"""An important and much-needed contribution to the literature on FBOs...provides useful insights into the complex relationship between religious identity, civil society, and conflict."" ""Presents a rich, contextualized portrait of the attitudes and practices of NGO and FBO staff delivering social services in conflicted regions."" ""While waiting for that more complex analysis, both academic and non-academic readers can use Flanigan s book to recognize the complexity of the work of FBOs in the developing world. The book is well written, enjoyable, and easy to read. Armed with this knowledge, future research should be able to use empirical analysis to provide a more precise estimate of FBOs, religion and conflict in the developing world. The importance of FBO effectiveness in a global world will continue to be a hot topic in the field for a long time."""

While waiting for that more complex analysis, both academic and non-academic readers can use Flanigan s book to recognize the complexity of the work of FBOs in the developing world. The book is well written, enjoyable, and easy to read. Armed with this knowledge, future research should be able to use empirical analysis to provide a more precise estimate of FBOs, religion and conflict in the developing world. The importance of FBO effectiveness in a global world will continue to be a hot topic in the field for a long time. An important and much-needed contribution to the literature on FBOs...provides useful insights into the complex relationship between religious identity, civil society, and conflict. Presents a rich, contextualized portrait of the attitudes and practices of NGO and FBO staff delivering social services in conflicted regions.

An important and much-needed contribution to the literature on FBOs...provides useful insights into the complex relationship between religious identity, civil society, and conflict. Presents a rich, contextualized portrait of the attitudes and practices of NGO and FBO staff delivering social services in conflicted regions. While waiting for that more complex analysis, both academic and non-academic readers can use Flanigan s book to recognize the complexity of the work of FBOs in the developing world. The book is well written, enjoyable, and easy to read. Armed with this knowledge, future research should be able to use empirical analysis to provide a more precise estimate of FBOs, religion and conflict in the developing world. The importance of FBO effectiveness in a global world will continue to be a hot topic in the field for a long time.

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