Overview
"This title uses case studies of US Policy decisions in Somalia, Bosnia, Angola, DR Congo, Sudan and Kosovo. It makes use of a variety of sources, from interviews and US embassy telegrams to firsthand experience in NGO settings. Two opposing images of humanitarian NGOs challenge efforts to understand their role in international relations. Do they function as autonomous - and influential - non-state actors in pursuit of their own value-driven agendas? Or do they serve merely as the paid agents of national governments, providing a service delivery function in line with those nations' foreign policy goals? Stoddard proposes a third view: that humanitarian NGOs, even those dependent on their home government for most of their funding, can and do influence state policy formation, but not in the manner of interest-based advocacy groups. Instead, these operational groups have the greatest impact on policy by providing hands-on information taken from experience. This information can shape what governments and other actors know, and how the policy problem is framed. Using case illustrations of US policy in the conflicts in Somalia, Bosnia, Angola, DR Congo, Sudan, and Kosovo, """"Humanitarian Alert"""" charts the course of NGO information from its formation on the ground to its use by officials in all levels of government. An array of sources, from embassy telegrams to interviews with state and non-state actors, creates a compelling picture of how narratives and numbers in humanitarian crises help or hinder response."
Full Product Details
Author: Abby Stoddard
Publisher: Kumarian Press
Imprint: Kumarian Press
ISBN: 9781565492271
ISBN 10: 1565492277
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 30 October 2006
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
,
Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
Stoddard has many years of experience working abroad with a variety of NGOs. She provides important insights into the impact of NGOs on US foreign policy... She draws important insights, concerns that would be valuable to anyone studying international organizations, foreign policy, or humanitarian assistance. The title of this book doesn't do justice to the range and overall value of the content. In addition to the impact of information, the analysis presents invaluable insights on the views and motivations of NGO staff and organizations. As such, it provides the background for and a prospective view on NGO action. Well researched and well argued book that deserves wide readership.
The title of this book doesn't do justice to the range and overall value of the content. In addition to the impact of information, the analysis presents invaluable insights on the views and motivations of NGO staff and organizations. As such, it provides the background for and a prospective view on NGO action. Stoddard has many years of experience working abroad with a variety of NGOs. She provides important insights into the impact of NGOs on US foreign policy... She draws important insights, concerns that would be valuable to anyone studying international organizations, foreign policy, or humanitarian assistance. Well researched and well argued book that deserves wide readership.
Well researched and well argued book that deserves wide readership.
