Development studies Books

Book Synopsis'Governance' has become a key word in the lexicon of international relations over the last twenty years. It is used, loosely, and invariably in a liberal idiom, by scholars, activists, civil society organizations, politicians and the voluntary sector. In many respects it has attained the status of a fetish, yet 'governance' remains a notion that has multiple definitions, a concept in-the-making. Notwithstanding the imprecision with which the term is employed, it has become an inescapable paradigm for the politics of development. The contributors to this book, drawn from among some of the world's best area studies specialists, from North and South, offer a diverse global critique of 'governance' as deployed in several key areas: institutions and state actors; the rule of law, democracy and human rights; decentralization and state power; development and, last but not least, international cooperation and the role of the World Bank, the IMF and NGOs. The geographical spread of the volume ranges from Africa to Latin America, from Asia to the Middle East. Their objectives include: a reassessment of 'governance' in its many manifestations; an attempt to free the term from its often unhelpful linkage to the state, and thereby apply it to other organizations and actors; a re-evaluation of the Western-dominated use of the term politically and an attempt to broaden its application beyond issues such as transparency and the fight against corruption; and a search for innovative applications of the term, driven by a consensus that transcends current economic and political inequalities.

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Book SynopsisWhen anthropologist Delwar Hussain arrived in a remote coal mining village on the Bangladesh/India border to research the security fence India is building around its neighbour, he discovered more about the globalised world than he had expected. The present narrative of the Bangladesh/ India border is one of increasing violence. Not so long ago, it was the site of a monumental modernist master-plan, symbolic of a larger optimism which was to revolutionise post-colonial nations around the world. Today this vision and what it gave rise to lies in spectacular ruin; the innards of the decomposing industrial past are scattered across the borderlands. The dream of a top- down, organised state and society has been replaced by a vibrant, market determined, cross-border coal industry that has little respect for the past, people or the environment. In keeping with these changes, there are new opportunities and prospects too. Social and intimate lives have transformed in unexpected and hopeful ways. While the book explores the relationship between those with a vision for the future and those without, it ultimately seeks to shed light on the communities and places that pay the highest price for the present need to develop. By focusing on the peripheries, the book at once gets to the contradictions at the heart of the neoliberal condition.Trade ReviewAsian Affairs 'This rich and detailed account of the Bangladeshi-Indian borderlands addresses urgent questions concerning "development" and its failures, the uneven effects of industrialisation and the lived realities of geopolitics in South Asia. Delwar Hussain's vivid prose makes the book an engrossing as well as an informative read. * Katy Gardner, Professor of Anthropology, University of Sussex, and author of Discordant Development: Global Capitalism and the Struggle for Connection in Bangladesh *Delwar Hussain has explored one of the still remote borderlands of the world; a place where marginality becomes central, and the periphery is at the heart of life. This was a line of partition between India and Pakistan; and when the former East Pakistan became independent, it divided India from Bangladesh. It was the site of a major limestone project, monument of post-colonial industrialisation, now abandoned and derelict. Today's livelihoods depend on the cross-border coal trade, much of it illegal, between small-scale entrepreneurs, who employ ill-paid migrant labourers. Delwar Hussain, who writes with humane clarity, tells a compelling story of colonial memory, independence, decolonisation, and neo-liberalism, the ambiguous freedoms and mutating poverties of development. * Jeremy Seabrook, author of Freedom Unfinished: Fundamentalism and Popular Resistance in Bangladesh and Consuming Cultures: Globalization and Local Lives *

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Book SynopsisWhile humanitarianism is unquestionably a fast-growing subject of practitioner and scholarly engagement, much discussion about it is predicated on a dangerous dichotomy between 'aid givers' and 'relief takers' that largely misrepresents the negotiated nature of the humanitarian enterprise. To highlight the tension between these relationships, this book focuses on the 'humanitarian spaces' and the dynamics of 'humanitarian diplomacy' (both 'local' and 'global') that sustain them. It gathers key voices to provide a critical analysis of international theory, geopolitics and dilemmas underpinning the negotiation of relief. Offering up-to-date examples from cases such as Kosovo and the Tsunami, or ongoing crises like Haiti, Libya, Darfur and Somalia, the contributors analyse the complexity of humanitarian diplomacy and the multiplicity of geographies and actors involved in it. By investigating the transformations that both diplomacy and humanitarianism are undergoing, the authors prompt us towards a critical and eclectic understanding of the dialectics of humanitarian space. Negotiating Relief aims to present humanitarianism not only as a relief delivery mechanism but also as a phenomenon in dialogue with both localised crises and global politics.Trade Review'This is a very valuable collection. Michele Acuto has sketched out a new way of looking at humanitarian diplomacy, and brought together an impressive array of humanitarian scholars to examine what it means for humanitarian action to take an ever larger place in local and international politics. An excellent one-stop shop for humanitarian students and professionals alike.' - Hugo Slim, Senior Research Fellow at the university of Oxford Institute for Ethics, and author of Killing Civilians: Method, Madness and Morality in War 'One of the most notable features of modern society is the internationalisation of the human conscience and one of the great advances of the last hundred years has been the universalisation of the human rights norm. What does this signify for public policy in local and international politics? What is the humanitarian community, who are the humanitarian actors, is there such a thing as humanitarian space, and how sacrosanct should it be? A stellar cast of authors is assembled in this impressive volume to guide us towards answers to these critical questions of contested humanitarianism in an increasingly congested global space.' - Ramesh Thakur, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, and Editor-in-Chief, Global Governance 'One of the many virtues of this book is to move beyond a sterile debate between advocates of a "pure" humanitarianism and those who regard this as a myth about a golden age that has never existed. This high level collective volume includes overviews, thematic essays and case studies by experts with differing perspectives. It amply demonstrates the editor's conclusions that the important theoretical and practical tasks are now to engage effectively in a complex field in which the basic frames, institutions and norms of humanitarian spaces are called into question. The volume will be a key work for both specialists and those seeking an informed introduction to the major issues.' - Michael Newman, Emeritus Professor of Politics and Jean Monnet Professor of European Studies, London Metropolitan University, and author of Humanitarian Intervention: Confronting the Colonies

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Book SynopsisFor close to sixty years Afghanistan was one of the largest recipients of foreign development aid and yet it remains one of the poorest countries on the planet. The Soviet Union pro- vided Afghanistan with large-scale economic and technical assistance for nearly twenty-five years before invading in 1979 and then in- creased the volume of assistance even further during the 1980s in an effort to prop up the government and undermine the anti-Soviet insurgency. None of this aid made any lasting difference to Afghan poverty. As in so many other countries, foreign aid did not promote economic growth. Using unexplored Russian sources, this book describes and analyses the economic and technical assistance programs run by the Soviet Union from the mid-1950s through to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and places them in the context of both Soviet-era development theories and more recent ideas about the role of institutions in fostering economic growth. In some respects Soviet development theorists were actually ahead of their contemporary Western counterparts in realising the centrality of institution-building, but they proved unable to translate their theories into practical solutions. The reasons why their assistance programs failed so completely in Afghanistan remain compellingly relevant today.Trade ReviewAiding Afghanistan demonstrates that the long Soviet civil involvement in Afghanistan was so much more coherent and extensive than our own, yet still it failed. In doing so the book asks tough questions about the whole concept of "intervention." The intelligent reader looking for reasons why things went awry in our own occupation could do no better than read it. Indeed there are lessons here for all of those engaged in so-called "stabilisation activities" wherever they are. -- Frank Ledwidge, author of Losing Small Wars: British Military Failure in Iraq and AfghanistanLittle attention has been paid either by Russian or foreign scholars to Soviet attempts to re-engineer the state and economy of Afghanistan both before and during the long war they fought in that country. This important and well-researched book goes a long way towards filling the gap. The authors judge that Soviet aid policy was well-intentioned. But it failed, for many of the reasons that Western aid policies are failing in Afghanistan and elsewhere. It is a bleak conclusion. -- Rodric Braithwaite, British Ambassador to Moscow 1988-1992, and author of Afgantsy: The Russians in Afghanistan, 1979-1989A fresh look at a topic which was wildly mis-analysed during the cold war, this volume represents a balanced analysis of achievements and failures of Soviet aid to Afghanistan. The authors have something important to say concerning development aid more generally, based on shared problems between Soviet and western aid experiences. -- Antonio Giustozzi, author of Empires of Mud: Wars and Warlords in Afghanistan and editor of Decoding the New Taliban: Insights From the Afghan Field

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Book SynopsisWhile humanitarianism is unquestionably a fast-growing subject of practitioner and scholarly engagement, much discussion about it is predicated on a dangerous dichotomy between 'aid givers' and 'relief takers' that largely misrepresents the negotiated nature of the humanitarian enterprise. To highlight the tension between these relationships, this book focuses on the 'humanitarian spaces' and the dynamics of 'humanitarian diplomacy' (both 'local' and 'global') that sustain them. It gathers key voices to provide a critical analysis of international theory, geopolitics and dilemmas underpinning the negotiation of relief. Offering up-to-date examples from cases such as Kosovo and the Tsunami, or ongoing crises like Haiti, Libya, Darfur and Somalia, the contributors analyse the complexity of humanitarian diplomacy and the multiplicity of geographies and actors involved in it. By investigating the transformations that both diplomacy and humanitarianism are undergoing, the authors prompt us towards a critical and eclectic understanding of the dialectics of humanitarian space. Negotiating Relief aims to present humanitarianism not only as a relief delivery mechanism but also as a phenomenon in dialogue with both localised crises and global politics.Trade Review'This is a very valuable collection. Michele Acuto has sketched out a new way of looking at humanitarian diplomacy, and brought together an impressive array of humanitarian scholars to examine what it means for humanitarian action to take an ever larger place in local and international politics. An excellent one-stop shop for humanitarian students and professionals alike.' * Hugo Slim, Senior Research Fellow at the university of Oxford Institute for Ethics, and author of Killing Civilians: Method, Madness and Morality in War *'One of the most notable features of modern society is the internationalisation of the human conscience and one of the great advances of the last hundred years has been the universalisation of the human rights norm. What does this signify for public policy in local and international politics? What is the humanitarian community, who are the humanitarian actors, is there such a thing as humanitarian space, and how sacrosanct should it be? A stellar cast of authors is assembled in this impressive volume to guide us towards answers to these critical questions of contested humanitarianism in an increasingly congested global space.' * Ramesh Thakur, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, and Editor-in-Chief, Global Governance *'One of the many virtues of this book is to move beyond a sterile debate between advocates of a "pure" humanitarianism and those who regard this as a myth about a golden age that has never existed. This high level collective volume includes overviews, thematic essays and case studies by experts with differing perspectives. It amply demonstrates the editor's conclusions that the important theoretical and practical tasks are now to engage effectively in a complex field in which the basic frames, institutions and norms of humanitarian spaces are called into question. The volume will be a key work for both specialists and those seeking an informed introduction to the major issues.' * Michael Newman, Emeritus Professor of Politics and Jean Monnet Professor of European Studies, London Metropolitan University, and author of Humanitarian Intervention: Confronting the Colonies *

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Book SynopsisIn the first historical account of international NGOs, from the French Revolution to the present, Thomas Davies places the contemporary debate on transnational civil society in context. In contrast to the conventional wisdom, which sees transnational civil society as a recent development taking place along a linear trajectory, he explores the long history of international NGOs in terms of a cyclical process characterised by three major waves: the era to 1914, the inter-war years, and the period since the Second World War. The breadth of transnational civil society activities explored is unprecedented in its diversity, from business associations to humanitarian organisations, peace groups to socialist movements, feminist organisations to pan- nationalist groups. The geographical scope covered is also extensive, and the analysis is richly supported with reference to a diverse array of previously unexplored sources. By revealing the role of civil society rather than governmental actors in the major trans- formations of the past two-and-a-half centuries, this book is for anyone interested in obtaining a new perspective on world history. The analysis concludes in the second decade of the twenty-first century, providing insights into the trajectory of transnational civil society in the post-9/11 and post-financial crisis eras.Trade Review'Tom Davies has produced an important book. He brings the skills of an international historian to bear on some of the pressing questions of contemporary international politics. Davies has utilised an extraordinary range of sources to trace the emergence and development of international non-governmental organisations over time and in so doing he challenges many widely held views about the role and importance of these organisations. This book is essential reading for anyone concerned with the past, present and future of international NGOs.' * David Williams, School of Politics and International Relations, Queen Mary University London *'Thomas Davies' book is a game-changer in our understanding of the role of non-governmental organisations and civil society in international politics. Davies manages to present meticulous detail and scrupulous research in a highly readable book that confronts what we think we know about NGOs. The book not only demonstrates the complexities of NGO politics but shows the ability and limitations of such actors in shaping international affairs. There is so much in this book that it deserves to be read by all interested in international relations, politics, international development, history and sociology.' * Sophie Harman, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, Queen Mary University of London *'Thomas Davies has written a comprehensive and readable history of international non-governmental organizations and movements that is much needed. He rightly argues that transnational civil society has a long history (over two centuries) and is not only Western in origin. Based on primary sources and literature, this book is indispensable.' * Bob Reinalda, Radboud University Nijmegen *

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Book SynopsisThis volume is an historical survey of advisory and mentoring missions from the 1920s onwards, starting from the Soviet missions to the Kuomintang and ending with the mission to Iraq. It focuses on Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation and after 2001, but also deals with virtually every single advisory mission from the 1920s on-wards, whether involving 'Eastern Bloc' countries or Western ones. The sections on Afghanistan are based on new research, while the sections covering other cases of advisory/mentoring missions are based on the existing literature. The authors highlight how large scale missions have been particularly problematic, causing friction with the hosts and sometimes even undermining their legitimacy. Small missions staffed by more carefully selected cadres appear instead to have produced better results. Overall, the political context may well have been a more important factor in determining success or failure rather than aspects such as cultural misunderstandings.Trade Review'A wholly original look at how great powers try to mould their client states in their own image -- and so often fail. A must read for every serious student of how international relations really work.' * Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, former British Ambassador to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan, and author of Cables from Kabul: The Inside Story of the West's Afghanistan Campaign *

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Book SynopsisSome 250,000 people died in the southern Somalia famine of 2011-12, which also displaced and destroyed the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands more. Yet this crisis had been predicted nearly a year earlier. The harshest drought in Somalia's recent history coincided with a global spike in food prices, hitting this arid, import-dependent country hard. The policies of Al-Shabaab, a militant Islamist group that controlled southern Somalia, exacerbated an already difficult situation, barring most humanitarian assistance, while donors counter-terrorism policies led to cuts and criminalized any aid falling into their hands. A major disaster resulted from the production and market failures precipitated by the drought and food price crisis, while the famine itself was the result of the failure to quickly respond to these events-and was thus largely human-made. This book analyses the famine: the trade-offs between competing policy priorities that led to it, the collective failure in response, and how those affected by it attempted to protect themselves and their livelihoods.It also examines the humanitarian response, including actors that had not previously been particularly visible in Somalia-from Turkey, the Middle East, and Islamic charities worldwide.Trade Review'Daniel Maxwell and Nisar Majid's exemplary account . . . shows in shocking detail how and why a needless disaster unfolded . . . sobering'.'The essential text on the largest, and most overlooked, famine of the 21st century.' -- Alex de Waal, Research Professor and Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation, Tufts University'For researchers, practicing humanitarians, or policy makers interested in understanding better what went into the making and unmaking of a 'complex humanitarian emergency' in Somalia, this book should be a required part of your reading list.' -- Africa at LSE'Famine in Somalia is a must read for anyone who is interested to learn more about how the humanitarian system's aversion to risk led to a collective failure to respond to the 2011-2012 famine in Somalia. This should become mandatory reading for anyone involved in humanitarian response.' -- Degan Ali, Executive Director, Adeso'Dan Maxwell and Nisar Majid are important commentators on Somalia. Their book is essential reading for those wishing to understand the root causes of an apparently intractable crisis and its more acute manifestations. Famine in Somalia is a must read for anyone wanting to understand contemporary Somalia and other similarly complex contexts which challenge us all.' -- Dr Sara Pantuliano, Head of the Humanitarian Policy Group, Overseas Development Institute (ODI)'Maxwell and Majid have penned haunting reflections on the long and lonely days of 2010 and 2011. The authors' dangerous journey and their penetrating analysis has unearthed compelling evidence of, indeed, a collective failure. They bravely cast light on competing policy imperatives in Somalia at that time, which in fact acted to undermine humanitarian action.' -- Abdullahi Khalif, food security expert and former (2010-2015) Somalia Country Representative for Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET)'Maxwell explores the response to the 2011 famine in Somalia, asking what worked and what could have been done better to assist those who bore the brunt. For those of us working to provide humanitarian and development assistance this book is a very important read.' -- Hannan Sulieman, Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF Middle East & North Africa'Part documentation, part critical interrogation, Famine in Somalia offers an authoritative account of the horrific 2001 Somali famine. The authors are to be congratulated for an accessible book that builds on multiple sources and represents a must-read for both practitioners and academics working on food security and East Africa.' -- Tobias Hagmann, Associate Professor in International Development, Roskilde University

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Book SynopsisThe current policy for climate change prioritises mitigation over adaptation. The collected papers of Climate Change as Environmental and Economic Hazard argue that although efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are still vital, the new policy paradigm should shift the priority to adaptation, with a special focus on disaster risk reduction. It should also consider climate change not purely as a hazard and a challenge, but as a window of opportunity to shift to a new sustainable development policy model, which stresses the particular importance of communities' resilience. The papers in this volume explore the key issues linked to this shift, including: ' Increasing research into the Earth Sciences, climate reconstruction and forecasting in order to decrease the degree of uncertainty about the origin, development and implications of climate change; ' The introduction of more binding and comprehensive regulation of both greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation measures, like that in the United Kingdom; ' Matching climate policy with that for disasters and mainstreaming it into overall development strategies. The volume is a valuable addition to previous climate change research and considers a new policy approach to this new global challenge. Table of Contents1. Managing Natural Disaster Risks in a Changing Climate 2. Strengthening Socio-ecological Resilience through Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation: Identifying Gaps in an Uncertain World 3. United States Hurricane Landfalls and Damages: Can One to Five Year Predictions Beat Climatology? 4. Building a Low-Carbon Economy: The Inaugural Report of the UK Committee on Climate Change 5. Responsibility Framing in a 'Climate Change Induced' Compounded Crisis: Facing Tragic Choices in the Murray-Darling Basin

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Book SynopsisBiofortification – the enrichment of staple food crops with essential micronutrients – has been heralded as a uniquely sustainable solution to the problem of micronutrient deficiency or 'hidden hunger'. Considerable attention and resources are being directed towards the biofortification of rice – the world's most important food crop. Through an in-depth analysis of international rice biofortification efforts across the US, Philippines and China, this book provides an important critique of such goal-oriented, top-down approaches. These approaches, the author argues, exemplify a model of global, 'public goods' science that is emerging within complex, international research networks. It provides vital lessons for those researching and making decisions about science and research policy, showing that if this model becomes entrenched, it is likely to channel resources towards the search for 'silver bullet' solutions at the expense of more incremental approaches that respond to locality, diversity and the complex and uncertain interactions between people and their environments. The author proposes a series of key changes to institutions and practices that might allow more context-responsive alternatives to emerge. These issues are particularly important now as increasing concerns over food security are leading donors and policy makers to commit to ambitious visions of 'impact at scale' – visions which may never become a reality and may preclude more effective pathways from being pursued. Published in association with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Trade Review'A deeply thought-provoking book, this study of biofortification in rice explores how and why public science so often irons out complex needs into a demand for pre-packaged solutions. Biofortification could yet become an exemplar of a different, boundary-crossing, socially-informed science for poverty alleviation. [This] book is essential reading for both critics and proponents of biotechnology in international development.' Paul Richards, Professor of Technology and Agrarian Development, Wageningen University, The Netherlands 'A lucid analysis of the decision making in international agricultural research which emphasizes a technical, commercial approach. Malnutrition is far better tackled with a biodiversity approach that makes available local foods that can be eaten fresh and are free.' Suman Sahai, Convenor, Gene Campaign, New Delhi 'A deeply thought-provoking book, this study of biofortification in rice explores how and why public science so often irons out complex needs into a demand for pre-packaged solutions. Are the great private philanthropic foundations and the brilliant scientists they fund simply incapable of understanding the lives of the rural poor? The author prefers instead to make a case for deep institutional reform, offering space for new types of partnership. Biofortification could yet become an exemplar of a different, boundary-crossing, socially-informed science for poverty alleviation. Her book is essential reading for both critics and proponents of biotechnology in international development.' Paul Richards, Professor of Technology and Agrarian Development, Wageningen University, The Netherlands 'Rice Biofortification convincingly illustrates the tenacity of the top down linear research paradigm which unfortunately still dominates the international agricultural research agenda. How researchers can effectively work with local contexts is an important issue, which the author handles admirably.' Joachim Voss, independent research professional, and formerly Director General of the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia 'Rice Biofortification would be useful for both critics and proponents of biotechnology.' Greenteacher.org, CEE (Centre for Environment Education) 'A book for those formulating and appraising scientific research and its impact on social development.' New Agriculturalist 'The issues related to the organisation of public science and research highlighted in the book are very relevant in the context of the recent debates in India related to the commerical release of Bt Brinjal.' GreenTeacher.orgTable of ContentsIntroduction: Why Biofortification? 1. 'Old Lessons and New Paradigms': Locating Biofortification 2. Building the Argument: The Case of Iron Rice 3. An Institutional Model? The Case of Golden Rice 4. An Alliance around an Idea: The Shifting Boundaries of Harvestplus 5. Global Science, Public Goods? A Synthesis. Conclusion. References. Notes

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Book SynopsisAround the world, asbestos-related diseases are on the increase. Meanwhile, in many newly-industrializing and developing countries, asbestos use continues unabated. This book, based on anthropological fieldwork in the UK, India and South Africa, explores people's understandings of their illness, risk, compensation and regulation, contrasting these personal and community narratives with formal medical and legal understandings. Linda Waldman shows how the domination of medical and legal framings of risk and disease over those of workers, sufferers and activists can narrow the responses chosen by government. This provides important lessons for researchers, policy makers and regulators, demonstrating that opening up to alternative understandings can create more effective policy responses to move towards sustainability and social justice. Published in association with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Trade Review'Combining Anthropology with Science and Technology Studies, and providing case studies from India, South Africa and the UK, The Politics of Asbestos is passionately written, theoretically engaged and empirically rich. It deserves to be widely read.' Peter Newell, Professor of International Development, University of East Anglia, United Kingdom 'Writing in a clear and simple style, Linda Waldman sets out a fascinating narrative spanning three continents.' Usha Ramanathan, Independent law researcher, Delhi, India 'This engrossing book interweaves the global politics of science with the intimacies of identity and provides an innovative methodological model for exploring comparative case studies at a large scale.' Fiona Ross, Associate Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Cape Town, South Africa 'Through the different case studies, Linda Waldman draws out the intersecting, and at times, conflicting ways in which asbestos destroys, disempowers, galvanises, mobilises and even empowers people in pursuit of social justice, compensation and benefits.' Dinah Rajak, Lecturer in Anthropology, University of Sussex, United KingdomTable of Contents1. Introduction: The Problem of Asbestos 2. 'I've Got the Dust As Well': Asbestos Litigation, Pleural Plaques and Masculinity in the UK 3. Evaluating Science and Risk: Living with and Dying from Asbestos in South Africa 4. 'Show me the Evidence': Science and Risk in Indian Asbestos Issues 5. 'Through no Fault of Our Own': Asbestos Diseases in South Africa and the UK 6. Re-framing Risk: Comparative Framings of Asbestos and Disease 7. Conclusion: Diseased Identities and Social Justice

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Book SynopsisThe world's urban population now exceeds the world's rural population. What does this mean for the state of our cities, given the strain this global demographic shift is placing upon current urban infrastructures? Following on from previous State of the World's Cities reports, this edition uses the framework of 'The Urban Divide' to analyze the complex social, political, economic and cultural dynamics of urban environments. In particular, the book focuses on the concept of the 'right to the city' and ways in which many urban dwellers are excluded from the advantages of city life, using the framework to explore links among poverty, inequality, slum formation and economic growth. The volume will be essential reading for all professionals and policymakers in the field, as well as a valuable resource for researchers and students in all aspects of urban development. Published with UN-Habitat.Trade Review'It is compelling reading for all those who feel they have a right to the city, whether or not they are experts.' Urban WorldTable of ContentsPart 1: Urban Trends 1.1. Cross-Currents in Global Urbanization 1.2. The Wealth of Cities 1.3. Slum Dwellers: Proportions are Declining, but Numbers are Growing Part 2: The Urban Divide 2.1. The Urban Divide: Overview and Perspectives 2.2. The Economic Divide: Urban Income Inequalities 2.3. The Spatial Divide: Marginalization and its Outcomes 2.4. The Opportunity Divide: When the 'Urban Advantage' Eludes the Poor 2.5. The Social Divide: Impact on Bodies and Minds Part 3: Bridging the Urban Divide 3.1. Taking Forward the Right to the City 3.2. The Regional Dynamics of Inclusion 3.3. The Five Steps to an Inclusive City

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Book SynopsisBased on the 'soft path' approach to the energy sector, a transition is now under way to a soft path for water. This approach starts by ensuring that ecosystem needs for water are satisfied and then undertakes a radical approach to reducing human uses of water by economic and social incentives, including open decision-making, water markets and equitable pricing, and the application of super-efficient technology, all applied in ways that avoid jeopardizing quality of life. The soft path for water is therefore a management strategy that frees up water by curbing water waste. Making the Most of the Water We Have is the first to present and apply the water soft path approach. It has three aims: to bring to a wider audience the concept and the potential of water soft paths to demonstrate that soft path analysis is analytical and practical, and not just 'eco-dreaming' to indicate that soft paths are not only conceptually attractive but that they can be made economically and politically feasible. Includes a tool kit for planners and other practitioners. Published with POLIS Project and Friends of the EarthTrade Review'This book looks ahead to provide the context within which to consider our use and management of water as we enter an increasingly uncertain future.' Dr. David Suzuki, Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia, author, broadcaster 'The book provides a timely review of how political economies worldwide have been introducing soft path approaches. It is immensely strengthened by authors who introduced the idea to the water sector and diffused it among water scientists, engineers and planners.' From the Foreword by Professor J A [Tony] Allan, King's College London and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK 'It is the first book to present a comprehensive view of the soft path and focuses on water solutions, not just technologies but also analysis methods and governance. The importance of this book is its vision and attempt to persuade readers - stakeholders, educators, the media, NGOs, and water managers - to adhere to the soft path paradigm.' Water International 'Making the Most of the Water We Have lays out the key ingredients of a water soft path (WSP) in plain language. It makes its case with some really fine writing, especially in the first four chapters...The real achievement of this book is that it offers details regarding soft path water planning possibilities for rich nations and poor nations alike.' Robert Paehlke, Critical Policy StudiesTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Why a Water Soft Path, and Why Now Part 1: Water Soft Paths as Human Vision 2. Avoiding the Perfect Storm: Weathering Climate Change by Following its Effects on Water Resources 3. In the Beginning: Soft Energy Paths 4. Getting it Right: Misconceptions About the Soft Path 5. Practising Ecological Governance: The Case for the Soft Path for Water 6. Water Policy in Canada: Changing Course for the Soft Path Part 2: Water Soft Paths as Analytical Method 7. Getting Quantitative: The Canadian Water Soft Path Studies 8. Turning Principles into Practice: The WSP Scenario Builder 9. Thinking Beyond Pipes and Pumps: Water Soft Paths at the Urban Scale 10. WSP Analysis at a Watershed Scale 11. WSP Analysis at a Provincial Scale Part 3: Water Soft Paths as Planning Tool 12. Removing Institutional Barriers to Water Soft Paths: - Challenges and Opportunities 13. Pushing the Boundaries: Shifting Water Soft Paths Philosophy towards Hard Policy in Municipal Water Management 14. Green Buildings and Urban Space 15. Water Soft Path Thinking in the United States 16. Water Soft Path Thinking in Other Developed Economies – A. England B. The European Union C. Australia 17. Water Soft Path Thinking in Developing Countries – A. South Africa B. India C. Middle East and North Africa. Conclusion 18. A Water Future Different from the Past. Annex: How to Create A Soft Path Plan For Water. Index

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the story of development studies in practice over the last fifty years through the work of one remarkable individual, Robert Chambers. His work has taken him from being a colonial officer in Kenya through training and managing large rural development projects to a fundamental critique of top-down development and the championing of participatory approaches. The contributors eloquently demonstrate how he has been at the centre of major shifts in development thinking and practice over this period, popularising terms that are now at the centre of the development lexicon such as vulnerability, multi-dimensional poverty, sustainable livelihoods and 'farmer first'. Robert Chambers played a major role in the massive growth in participatory approaches to development, and particularly the application of participatory methods in development research and appraisal. This has led to fundamental challenges to development practice, ranging from approaches to monitoring and evaluation to institutional learning and professional training. There is probably no-one who has had more influence on approaches to development in the past decades. Revolutionizing Development offers a unique overview of these contributions in thirty-two concise chapters from authors who have been intimately involved as collaborators, critics and colleagues of Robert Chambers.Trade Review'A powerful influence on development doing and thinking, Robert Chambers provokes us to focus on what doesn't fit our neat categories, reversing our normal assumptions. He has transformed attitudes and behaviours through impelling us to reflect on how we work and what we do. This wonderful collection of perspectives on Robert's life and work reminds us how much a single person can do by being confident, pragmatic and willing to take risks.' Dr Camilla Toulmin, Director, International Institute for Environment and Development, London 'Robert Chambers has been an ardent advocate of a livelihood approach to development, a testimony to his holistic vision of sustainable human security and happiness. This book captures the essence of his many original contributions during the last fifty years. Through the 'farmer first ' approach he has shown the pathway for linking ecology, economics, equity and employment in a mutually reinforcing manner leading to food for all and forever.' Professor M S Swaminathan, Chairman, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Member of Indian Parliament (Rajya Sabha); and Chair, High Level Panel of Experts of the Committee on World Food Security of the UN Food and Agriculture OrganisationTable of ContentsNotes on Contributors. Acknowledgements. Acronyms. Robert Chambers. Putting the Last First: Reflections on the Work of Robert Chambers. Conceptualising Development. Challenging Development Priorities. Beginners in Africa: Managing Rural Development. The Path from Managerialism to Participation: The Kenyan Special Rural Development Programme. Foxes and Hedgehogs – and Lions: Whose Reality Prevails? Participation in International Aid. Power and Participation. Reframing Development. Rural Development, Poverty and Livelihoods – Exploring Sustainable Livelihoods. Putting the Vulnerable First. Seasonality: Uncovering the Obvious and Implementing the Complex. Refugee Studies. Farmer First: Reversals for Agricultural Research. Agricultural Development: Parsimonious Paradigms. In Search of a Water Revolution: Canal Irrigation Management. The Last Frontier: The Groundwater Revolution in South Asia. Trees as Assets: Legacies and Lessons. Finding a Sustainable Sanitation Solution: Scaling up Community-Led Total Sanitation. Technology and Markets. Methodological Innovations Village Studies. Whose Knowledge Counts? Tales of an Eclectic Participatory Pluralist. Learning to Unlearn: Creating a Virtuous Learning Cycle. The Use of Participatory Methods to Study Natural Resources. Participatory Numbers. Practising Development: New Professionalism. The Personal and the Political. International Poverty Professionals and Poverty. Changing Attitudes and Behaviour. Networking: Building a Global Movement for PRA and other Participatory Methods. Institutional Learning and Change. Participation, Learning and Accountability: The Role of the Activist Academic. Development Professionalism. Appreciation and Reflections. Appendix. List of Robert Chambers' Publications. References. Index

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Book SynopsisOver the last two years, Worldwatch's Nourishing the Planet team has travelled to 25 sub-Saharan African nations - the places where hunger is greatest - and uncovered a treasure trove of innovations from farmers groups, private voluntary organizations, universities, and even agribusiness companies. These innovations offer global benefits - from the continent's role in preventing disastrous climate change to the way urban farmers are feeding people in cities and why even determined locavores are sustained by the crop diversity preserved by farmers thousands of miles away. This book assesses the state of agricultural innovations from cropping methods to irrigation technology to agricultural policy with an emphasis on sustainability, diversity, and ecosystem health in the hope of guiding governments, foundations, and concerned citizens in their efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty. Published annually in 28 languages, State of the World is long established as the most authoritative and accessible annual guide to our progress towards a sustainable future. It is relied upon by national governments, UN agencies, development workers and law-makers for its up-to-the-minute analysis and information.Trade Review'The most authoritative guide to the state of the planet.' The Guardian.Table of ContentsPreface 1. Charting a New Path to Eliminating Hunger 2. Moving Ecoagriculture into the Mainstream 3. The Nutritional and Economic Potential of Vegetables 4. Getting More Crop per Drop From the Field: Rainwater Harvesting 5. Farmers Take the Lead in Research and Development 6. Africa's Soil Fertility Crisis and the Coming Famine 7. Safeguarding Local Food Biodiversity 8. Coping with Climate Change and Building Resilience An Agnostic Approach to Climate Adaptation Investing in Trees to Mitigate Climate Change The Climate Crisis on Our Plates 9. Post-Harvest Losses: A Neglected Field 10. Feeding the Cities 11. Harnessing the Knowledge and Skills of Women Farmers 12. Investing in Africa's Land: Crisis and Opportunity 13. The Missing Links: Going Beyond Production 14. Improving Food Production from Livestock 15. A Road Map for Nourishing the Planet

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Book SynopsisAs governments around the globe begin to wake up to the far reaching effects of changes in climate, the search for available options and instruments for addressing the issue becomes increasingly vital. This authoritative, step-by-step guide to the assessment of the impacts from, and potential adaptations to, changes of climate is based on the approach developed by the authors and other scientists for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This approach has been widely adopted as 'best practice' by experienced researchers but has not, until now, been available in an accessible form. This illuminating account of the methods used by the IPCC scientists will be essential for all those involved in the study of climate impacts and adaptations, or designing and implementing policies for dealing with them. Written in non-technical language, this state-of-the-art guide is ideal for all people interested in the far-reaching implications of climate change and the greenhouse effect. The book contains numerous illustrations, including several worked examples, clearly presented in boxes and diagrams.Table of ContentsIntroduction * Understanding and Predicting Climate Change * Climate Impact Assessment: Developing the Method * The First Step: Defining the Problem * The Second Step: Selecting the Method * The Third Step: Testing the Method * The Fourth Step: Developing the Scenarios The Fifth step: Assessing the Impacts * The Sixth and Seventh Steps: Evaluating Adaptive Responses * Conclusions: Organizing the Research and Communicating Results * Appendix 1:Summary and Main Features of Integrated Assessment Models * Appendix 2: Some International Data Sources of Interest in Climate-Impact Assessment Studies * References and Notes * Index

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Book SynopsisSustainable development cannot be achieved solely at the international level. Without the creation of more sustainable livelihoods, it will remain a utopian and elusive goal. Yet given the huge differences in economic development and levels of consumption between North and South, how might this bebrought about?Taking the 1992 Rio Summit as its point of departure, Wasted examines what we now need to know, and what we need to do, to live within sustainable limits. One of the key issues is how we use the environment: converting natural resources into human artifices, commodities and services. In the process of consuming,we also create sinks. Today, these sinks - the empty back pocket in the global biogeographical system - are no longer empty. The fate of the global environment is indissolubly linked to our consumption: particularly in the energy-profligate North.To understand and overcome environmental challenges, we need to build the outcomes of our present consumption rates into our future behaviour: to accept sustainable development as a normative goal for societies; one that is bound up with our everyday social practices and actions. In this absorbing book, Michael Redclift argues that the way we understand and think about the environn1ent conditions our responses, and our ability to meet the challenge, and discusses tangible policies for increased sustainability that are grounded in recent research and practice.MICHAEL RedcliftIs Professor of International Environmental Policy at the Department of Geography, King's College London. He was previously Professor of International Environmental Policy at the University of Keele and before that Professor of Environmental Sociology at Wye College, University of London, and Director of the ESRC Global Environmental Change Programme. He is author and editor of numerous books, including Sustainable Development: Exploring the Contradictions (1987), Social Theory and the Global Environment (1994) and Sustainability: Life Chances and Lifestyles (1999).Originally published in 1996Table of ContentsAcknowledgments List ofFiguresList of TablesChapter One: Introduction Consumption and the Environment How can we 'Recover Consumption'? Chapter Two: The Earth Summit International Environmental Policy: the Road From Stockholm Counsel of Despair: International Environmental Problems in the 1980s UNCED: the Road to Rio The UNCED Deliberations: Conventions and a New Agenda In the Wake of Rio: International Finance and Political Devolution Global Environmental Management: a Realist Perspective From Science to Policy: Environmental Management and the UNCED Process Making sense of the Environment/Development Debate Chapter Three: Meeting Environmental Targets Global Environmental Change The Laws of Thermodynamics The Effect of Human Evolution on Natural Systems Sustainable Development Sustainability Indicators Chapter Four: The Global Economy and Consumption The Hydrocarbon Society and Energy Consumption The New International Economic Order Energy Consumption and the Generation of Waste Recovering Consumption: the Political Economy of Wastes Chapter Five: Managing Global Resources European Energy Policy and Global Change Sustainable Energy Policies for the Brazilian Amazon Chapter Six: Metabolising Nature Global Environmental Management The 'Empty' and 'Full' World System: a Point of Departure How we Measure Environmental Quality: the Costs of Consumption Democratic Control of the Environment The Standard of Living or the Quality of Life? Global Carbon Budgets The Social Functions of Sinks Chapter Seven: Sustainability and Social Commitments Environmental Discourse and Environmental Management How we Metabolise Nature Embodiment and Distanciation Chapter Eight: Local Environmental Action Creating Sustainable Employment: LETS Schemes Beyond Recycling: Recovering our Control over Waste Farmers' Networks References Index

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Book SynopsisThe sixth annual guide to the environmental, economic and social trends which are shaping the future, this text presents the good news, the bad news, and a few surprises about the state of our planet. n Part One, facing pages of text and graphs provide information on 40 carefully selected indicators, mapping changes in food supplies; agriculture; the atmosphere, energy and transport; natural resources; the global economy; society and health; and the millitary. Part Two of the text contains special features on less celebrated trends, including ten new vital signs indicators such as violence against women, how the environment impacts on the insurance industry, and the proliferation of landmines.Table of Contentschapterover Overview, Lester R. Brown; Part 1 Key Indicators; Chapter 1 Food Trends; Chapter 2 Agricultural Resource Trends; Chapter 3 Energy Trends; Chapter 4 Atmospheric Trends; Chapter 5 Economic Trends; Chapter 6 Transportation Trends; Chapter 7 Social Trends; Chapter 8 Military Trends; Part 2 Special Features; Chapter 9 Enviromental Features; Chapter 10 Economic Features; Chapter 11 Social Features;

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Book Synopsis'This book is valuable for and beyond the international development industry. It deftly leads a non-specialist through the maze of ideas and arguments plaguing the concept of civil society, and critically examines how and what happens, when the international aid system tries to turn confusing and complex political theory into effective development policy and practice fitting the individual preconditions and historical trajectories of the worlds varied nations. The comparative evidence, analysis and recommendations on offer are essential reading for anyone attempting to understand or ''build'' someone else's - as well as their own - civil society, especially when justifying the use of tax payers' money to do so.' ALAN FOWLER, CO-FOUNDER, INTRAC 'This book will be really useful to numerous readers, 011 a subject becoming ever more topical in the world of development and beyond. It puts order into the deeply confused debate about civil society, describes what the aid donors are doing to pursue their new goals, offers four penetrating case studies, and concludes with sensible suggestions for future policy. The authors have made a practical and lucid assessment of the huge civil society literature; they have also contributed valuably to it, and deserve to he listened to.' PROFESSOR ROBERT CASSEN, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS Northern governments and NGOs are increasingly convinced that civil society will enable people in developing countries to escape the poverty trap. Civil Society and the Aid Industry, the product of extensive research by the prestigious North-South Institute in Canada, makes a critical appraisal of this new emphasis in the aid industry. It explores the roles of Northern governmental, multilateral and non-governmental agencies in supporting civil society, presenting in-depth case studies of projects in Peru, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Hungary, and gives detailed policy recommendations intended to improve the effectiveness and appropriateness of future projects. Originally published in 1998Table of ContentsAcknowledgements About the Research Team The Editor The Authors The Advisors Acronyms List of Figures, Tables and Boxes Introduction: All Roads Lead to Rome Alison Van Rooy Why Bother About Civil Society? Origins 1. Civil Society as Idea: An Analytical Hatstand? Alison Van Rooy What is Civil Society? Keeping Analysis Separate from Hope 2. Out of the Ivory Tower: Civil Society and the Aid System Alison Van Rooy and Mark Robinson What is Civil Society Supposed to Do? What is the Aid System Doing? What Next? 3. Hungary: Civil Society in the Post-Socialist World Ferenc Miszlivetz and Katalin Ertsey The Metamorphosis of Civil Society Mapping Donor Interventions: Do they Matter in the Big Picture? 4. Sri Lanka: Civil Society, the Nation and the State-building Challenge Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Mapping Civil Society Mapping Donors Civil Society and the Aid Industry Conclusion 5. Kenya: The State, Donors and the Politics of Democratization Wachira Maina Civil Society in Africa Civil Society and the State in Kenya Today Donor Support for Civil Society Reconstructing the State, Donor and Civil Society Relationships 6. Peru: Civil Society and the Autocratic Challenge Pepi Patron Mapping Civil Society in Peru Mapping Northern Donor Intervention Ideas About Power Relationships 7. The Art of Strengthening Civil Society Alison Van Rooy What We Found Theory The Aid Industry 'Strengthening' Civil Society The Impact on Donors Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis annual volume shows key trends that should be integrated into the planning of our global future. It enables readers to track key indicators that show social, economic and environmental progress, or the lack of it, into 45 vital signs of our time. Each trend is presented as an overview using both text and graphics.Table of ContentsForeword * Overview: an off-the-Chart Year * Part One: Key Indicators - Food Trends * Agricultural Resource Trends * Energy Trends * Atmospheric Trends * Economic Trends * Transportation Trends * Communication Trends * Social Trends * Military Trends * Part Two Special Features - Environmental Features * Economic Features * Social Features * Military Features * Notes

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Book SynopsisSince the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1997, the negotiation of policy responses to climate change has become an area of major research. This authoritative volume sets out the main debates and processes of joint implementation - bilateral or multilateral investments in greenhouse gas emission reduction or sequestration - and explores the issues involved in constructing an appropriate institutional framework. It examines the key economic, environmental, social and ethical impacts, and assesses the operational design of the flexibility mechanisms of joint implementation, including emissions trading and the Clean Development Mechanism. An approach is developed in which streamlined assessment procedures are combined with institutional safeguards in order to balance the demand for practical mechanisms with the environmental objectives of the Protocol. The book provides detailed case studies of energy sector investment in Eastern European host countries.Trade Review'It provides structure to the often fuzzy discussion on joint implementation mechanisms. It shows how things can be applied in practice. It transcends generalities by providing in-depth discussions of concepts, evaluation procedures, and scientific uncertainty.' Luc Hens, Human Ecology Department, Free University Brussels.Table of ContentsPreface * Beyond Joint Implementation: an Overview and Summary of the Argument * The Language of Flexibility: Operational Forms of Joint Implementation * Objectives of Joint Implementation: Towards a Multicriteria Evaluation Framework * The Baseline Question: Dealing with the Problem of Counterfactuality * Case Study Projects * Environmental ad Social Aspects of Joint Implementation: Methodologies and Case Study Results * Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analysis: Methodology and Case Study Results * Measures for Managing Flexibility: Dealing with Complexity and Uncertainty * Evaluating Joint Implementation Options: an Illustrative Analysis * Appendix 1: Analysis of Crediting Regimes * Notes * References * Index

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Book SynopsisGlobal economic and social forces are affecting everyone, everywhere. However, their influence is shaped by local communities' interpretation of these forces and responses to them. Social identities provide a guide; they are the product of history, culture, economy, patterns of governance and degree of community cohesion. How the global and the local connect and reconfigure at various scales and through different cultures is explained in this forward-looking volume. The book's thesis, namely that localism is the crucial complement to globalism, is supported by a range of European case studies. Local responses to globalizing forces depend on the nature of the interlinkages in governance from international structures, through multilateral organizations to nation states, regions and localities, as these are mediated through social-local identity. The contributors draw on numerous themes in examining the interaction between the global and the local, such as decay and revitalization, local identity and empowerment, opportunism through sustainability and governance for the transition. This is a pioneering publication utilizing an innovative person-centred methodology. It makes an original and important contribution to the study of contemporary societies and is aimed at anyone interested in the social, economic, political, cultural and environmental implications of any move towards sustainability.Trade Review'This is an important contribution to the field and of a uniformly high standard throughout.' Aslib Book GuideTable of ContentsPreface * Acknowledgements * Part 1: Providing Perspective - Synthesis and Context * Globalization and Localization * Multilevel Governance for the Sustainability Transition * Social-local Identities * Methods of Inquiry * Part 2: The Case Studies - Decay and Revitalization in Two Swedish Communities * Opportunism Via Sustainability in Austria * Coming to Terms with Globalization in Portugal * Local Identity and Survival in Greece * Local Identity and Empowerment in the UK * Taking the Transition Forward

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Book SynopsisThe importance of involving the poor recipients in planning and implementing development policies has long been recognized, and has been the official aim of large donors, including the World Bank and major donor agencies. This text assesses their success and the results of the primary stakeholder participation achieved. It analyzes the institutional changes necessary for stakeholders to participate in decision-making, and the strategies and behaviour of other parties involved, including NGOs. From this review and analysis, it draws an important range of lessons for future donor and NGO policies and organizational reform.Trade Review'A well researched, well argued book.' Aubrey Williams, former Participation Coordinator, World Bank 'This is a superb account of the efforts undertaken by international development agencies to introduce the simple but powerful notion that the poor must participate if development is to succeed.' Brian Atwood, President, Citizens International, former Administrator, USAID 'The book comes up with a number of lessons which are worthwhile to be considered.' Habitat International 'Carolyn Long's rich, historical and comparative analysis of efforts by civil society to mainstream participation in the development paradigm is an excellent and practical addition to arguments for placing the poor at the centre of development efforts.' Lisa Jordan, Program Officer, Governance and Civil Society, Ford Foundation, former Executive Director, Bank Information Center 'This book is a thoughtful analysis of the progress made by donors and agencies during the past decade to embrace participation as an imperative, and makes an important contribution to our understanding of how to effectively involve citizens in the donor-assisted social and economic development programmes of their governments. It sounds a hopeful note for what donors, governments and civil society can do together to foster participatory development in the future, and shares useful lessons on how to improve development practices.' Sadig Rasheed, Director, Programme Division, UNICEFTable of ContentsForeword * Introduction * The World Bank and NGOs: The Evolution of a Participation Policy * Participation in Development Initiatives * Incorporating Participation of the Poor in International Development Agencies * Incorporating Participation of the Poor in Government Implementation Agencies * Lessons Learned and Implications for Participation of the Poor * Notes * References * Index

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Book SynopsisAcross the developing world the preceding decade or so has witnessed a profound reconfiguration of the political economy of urban policy. This new policy environment is driven by globalization, the neo-liberal macro-economic package of 'market enablement' and structural adjustment, which now form the dominant development paradigm. The consequences of this approach for urban development agendas and ultimately the lives and livelihoods of millions of people across the globe are profound. Market Economy and Urban Change explores and evaluates urban sector and development policies in the context of market enablement, and the associated instruments of structural adjustment, urban management reform and 'good' governance. By articulating the linkages between this neo-liberal development paradigm and the way different actors in the urban sector enact policy responses, the book provides an understanding of both the factors driving market enablement, and its impacts on urban sector policies and programmes. With case studies drawn from countries such as Egypt, Mexico, Kenya, Brazil, Colombia and transitional economies, the book focuses in particular on the implications for land, shelter and related sectoral policies for poverty alleviation. By linking policy to practice, the book seeks to inform policy-makers in governments, donor and implementing agencies of the impact of shifts in the development debate on urban sector strategies.Table of ContentsPreface * Market Enablement and the Urban Sector * Developmental Welfare and Political Economy: Reflections on Policy-conditioned Aid and Strategic Redirection of International Housing and Urban Policies, 1960-2000 * The State, Foreign Aid and the Political Economy of Shelter in Egypt * Tackling Urban Poverty: Principles and Practice in Project and Programme Design in Kenya * Bridging the Rural - Urban Divide: What Can the Urban Learn from the Rural? Reflections on the Case of Mexico * Between Command and Market Economies: The Changing Roles of Public and Private Housing Sectors in Transitional Economies * Urban Land Tenure in Brazil: From Centralized State to Market Processes of Housing Land Delivery * Market Enablement and the Reconfiguration of Urban Structure in Columbia * Index

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Book SynopsisThis volume is a compilation of an United Nations research institute for social development report for Geneva in 2000. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the progress to date, exploring efforts to reassert the value of equity and social cohesion in an increasingly individualistic world.Table of ContentsGlobalization with a Human Mask - Who Pays?: Financing Social Development - Fragile Democracies - A New Mission for the Public Sector - Calling Corporations to Account - Civil Societies - Getting Development Right for Women - Sustaining Development - Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSoils are critical to agriculture and, in turn, to food supply and livelihoods. Sustainable management of soils is crucial for a large proportion of the population of Africa. Contrary to many claims, soil fertility is improved and managed successfully by small-scale farmers there. Careful studies from widely different areas reveal how closely bound up soil management is with complex social, cultural and ecological factors - requiring a far more subtly tuned approach to development policy and practice. This work is a study of how the context of livelihood systems has to inform development policy and practice.Table of ContentsTransforming Soils: The Dynamics of Soil-fertility Management in Africa * Creating Gardens: The Dynamics of Soil-fertility Management in Molayta, Southern Ethiopia * Seizing New Opportunities: Soil-fertility Management and Diverse Livelihoods in Mali * Soils, Livelihoods and Agricultural Change: The Management of Soil-fertility in the Communal Lands of Zimbabwe * Participatory Approaches to Integrated Soil-fertility Management * Ways Forward? Technical Choices, Intervention Strategies and Policy Options. * Notes * References * Index

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Book SynopsisThis annual volume from the Worldwatch Institute gives prominence to key trends that too often escape the attention of the news media, world leaders and economic experts. By distilling 45 vital signs of our times from thousands of government, industrial and scientific sources, the volume allows readers to track key indicators that show social, economic and environmental progress, or the lack or it. Each trend is presented in both text and graphics.Trade Review'Excellent material to be included in the reference libraries. Social and Environmental Accounting Journal, Vol. 26, Issue 2, Sept. 2006 'An interesting book.' Elements 'It's an information packed read: a bluffer's guide to the world and its future.' What on Earth 'Carefully selected data distilled into vital signs.' Social and Environmental AccountingTable of ContentsAcknowledgements * Foreword * Overview: The Triple Health Challenge * Part One: Key Indicator - Food and Agriculture Trends * Energy Trends * Atmospheric Trends * Economic Trends * Transportation Trends * Health and Social Trends * Military Trends * Part Two: Special Features - Environmental Features * Economy and Finance Features * Resource Economics Features * Transportation Features * Health Features * Social Features * Notes * the Vital Signs Series

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Book SynopsisSocieties need to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 80 per cent in order to counter the risks of climate change. This study envisions a climate neutral society - one where the output of polluting gases is minimised by social innovations set up in households, by local authorities, through developments in information and communications technologies and dematerialization, and through the shift towards product service systems and emissions trading. The work discusses the possibilities for steering and orchestrating this long-term transition towards a climate-friendly society, mapping paths through current dilemmas in climate policy and exploring the legal issues of making this transition.Trade Review'Well illustrated and readable.' International Journal of Environmental Studies 'A very important book.' Tom Downing, Stockholm Environment Institute 'Brings together a range of evidence and perspectives to provide a multidisciplinary commentary on the problem of climate change' Alister Scott, Assistant Director, Global Environmental Change Programme, University of Sussex 'This work will encourage further work in this critical area from researchers in several disciplines' Professor Robert Socolow, Princeton University 'This is an awesome resource, with authoritative projections on many aspects of environment and resources.' Future Survey, September 2003Table of ContentsForeword * Towards a Climate-Neutral Society * Transforming the Energy System of The Netherlands: Two Versions on Reaching 80 Per Cent Emissions Reduction by 2050 * Contemporary Practices; Greenhouse Scepticism? * Technological Change and Innovation for Climate Protection: the Governance Challenge * Households Past and Present, and Opportunities for Change * the Role of Local Authorities in a Transition Towards a Climate-Neutral Society * Improved Material Management as Trend-Breaking Technology for Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions * The Contribution of ICT to the Transition Towards a Climate-Neutral Society * Economy Versus Environment? Design Alternatives for Emissions Trading from a Lock-in Perspective * Legal Aspects of a Changing System in The Netherlands in 2050 * Climate Options for the Long Term (COOL): Stakeholders' Views on 80 Per Cent Emission Reduction * The Climate-Neutral Society: Opportunities for Change * List of Contributors * Index

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Book SynopsisTechnical co-operation involving northern experts transferring expertise to the south has not always worked. In fact it has sometimes been counter-productive, fostering a dependency on outside help rather than creating a genuine indigenous capability. This study by experts from Harvard University and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) uses a range of country studies to analyze what has worked in the past, what hasn't, and how to ensure that future co-operation results in genuine capacity building and ownership of the new capabilities by the recipients. It aims to offer a framework for evaluating different methods to achieve these goals. The volume is a companion to the earlier Capacity for Development, and should be useful for all those working in international development, as well as researchers, academics and students.Table of ContentsForeword * Preface * Accra Outcomes Statement * Acknowledgements * Part 1: Introduction and Overview - Introduction: Rethinking Capacity Development for Today's Challenges * Overview: Meeting the Capacity Development Challenge: Lessons for Improving Technical Cooperation * Part 2: Country Studies - Bangladesh: Applying Technical Cooperation to Health and Financial Reform * Bolivia: the Political Context of Capacity Development * Egypt: Building Private Sector Capacity through Technical Cooperation * The Kyrgyz Republic: Developing New Capacities in a Post-Transition Country * Philippines: Bringing Civil Society into Capacity Development * Uganda: Driving Technical Cooperation for National Capacity Development * Statistical Annex * About the Authors

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Book SynopsisThis title focuses on Haiti from an international perspective. Haiti has endured undue influence from successive French and US governments; its fragile 'democracy' has been founded on subordination to and dominance of foreign powers. This book examines Haiti's position within the global economic and political order, and how the more dominant members of the international community have, in varying ways, exploited the country over the last 200 years.Trade Review"a “must-read” for scholars interested in Haitian history and politics as well as in the intersection of class and race relations", Robert Fatton Jr., New West Indian GuideTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. The Capitalist World-Economy, the Fetishism of Commodities, and the Social Geography of Race: A Reply to Michel Foucault 2. Toussaint Louverture, the Haitian Revolution, and Negritude: A Critical Assessment of Aimé Césaire's Interpretation 3. From Revolutionary Slaves to Powerless Citizens 4. The Transition to Democracy and the Demise of Color Politics in Haiti 5. The World Bank and Haiti: Abetting Dictatorship, Undermining Democracy 6. Class, Power, Sovereignty: Haiti Before and After the Earthquake

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Book SynopsisNow in its 23rd edition, the Europa International Foundation Directory 2014 provides an unparalleled guide to the foundations, trusts, charitable and grantmaking NGOs, and other similar not-for-profit organizations of the world. It provides a comprehensive picture of third sector activity on a global scale. New introductory essays offer an overview of non-profit sector activity in various countries and regions of the world, and an analysis of the growing importance and impact of community foundations.Indexes, which allow the reader to find organizations by area of activity (including conservation and the environment, science and technology, education and social welfare) and geographical region of operations (e.g. South America, Central America and the Caribbean, Australasia, Western Europe and North America), are included for ease of use.Users will find names and contact details for over 2,500 institutions worldwide. This new edition has been revised and expanded to include the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on this growing sector.Trade Review'There is no other directory to foundations which is truly international in scope.' - Reference Reviews'The best place to start grant research ... an important addition to any international studies library.' - World DevelopmentHighly recommended for all academic and public libraries.' - SLA Social Division BulletinTable of ContentsPart 1: Essays The State of Global Civil Society and Volunteering: Patterns and Possible Explanations Lester M. Salamon, S. Wojciech Sokolowski and Megan A Haddock The Growing Importance of Community Foundations Eleanor Sacks Non-profits during Times of Crisis: Organizational Behaviour and Policy Responses Helmut K. Anherier, Annelie Beller and Norman SpenglerPart 2: Directory Albania - Zimbabwe Part 3: Indexes

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Book SynopsisThe Complex Forest systematically examines the theory, processes, and early outcomes of a research and management approach called adaptive collaborative management (ACM). An alternative to positivist approaches to development and conservation that assume predictability in forest management, ACM acknowledges the complexity and unpredictability inherent in any forest community and the importance of developing solutions together with the forest peoples whose lives will be most affected by the outcomes. Building on earlier work that established the importance of flexible, collaborative approaches to sustainable forest management, The Complex Forest describes the work of ACM practitioners facing a broad range of challenges in diverse settings and attempts to identify the conditions under which ACM is most effective. Case studies of ACM in 33 forest sites in 11 countries together with Colfer's systematic comparison of results at each site indicate that human and institutional capabilities have been strengthened. In Zimbabwe, for example, the number of women involved in decisionmaking soared. In Nepal, community members detected and sanctioned dishonest community elites. In Cameroon and Bolivia, learning programs resulted in better conflict management. These are early results, but a wide range of recent research supports Colfer's belief that these new capabilities will eventually contribute to higher incomes and to sustainable improvements in the health of forests and forest peoples. The Complex Forest reinforces calls for change in the way we plan conservation and development programs, away from command-and-control approaches, toward ones that require bureaucratic flexibility and responsiveness, as well as greater local participation in setting priorities and problem solving.Trade Review'A significant contribution because of the richness of its material, its critique of simplistic approaches to understanding factors in forest management, its clear and compelling writing style, and the range and significance of the sites that it studies.' Diane Russell, Senior Scientist, World Agroforestry CentreTable of ContentsOne: Introduction; Two: ACM's Intellectual Underpinnings; Three: Complexity, Change, and Uncertainty; Four: Seven Analytical Dimensions; Five: Creativity, Learning, and Equity; Six: Devolution; Seven: Forest Type and Population Pressure; Eight: Management Goals; Nine: Human Diversity; Ten: Conflict and Social Capital; Eleven: Catalyzing Creativity, Learning, and Equity; Twelve: Commentary and Conclusions

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Book SynopsisComposed of articles first published in the journal Politique africaine, this book proposes an original interpretation of neoliberalism in Africa. Instead of seeing neoliberal reforms as intrinsically destructive of the post-colonial state, the authors, who include some of Africa's best-known social scientists, focus on the resilience and adaptability of African state structures, economic systems, and social survival mechanisms. They examine the diversity of responses to neoliberalism in what the editors call the "everyday politics of the state." In essays that range from diverse theoretical or historical discussions to close studies of the dynamics of specific reforms in particular places, they argue against univocal interpretations of the effects of neoliberalism. They show that the African state, far from disappearing, is adapting and reconfiguring itself in fascinating new social realities "co-constructed" by state action, as well as by the improvisations of communities and other private actors. These fascinating studies reveal processes far more complex and ambivalent than what entrenched ideas of the distinction between "public" and "private" actors or between the "state," the "market," and "society" allow for. Whether discussing neoliberal theories of sovereignty and property in the context of centuries of African political development or revealing the intricacies of people's adjustments to the restructuring of an urban transport system, these essays show that conventional readings of governance in Africa underestimate the dynamics of reappropriation and adaptation, and the conflicts between differing conceptions of power that are profoundly reshaping the state in contemporary Africa. [Subject: Politics, African Studies]

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Book Synopsis​The mining sector has been an integral part of economic development in many African countries. Although minerals have been exploited for decades in these countries, the benefits have not always been as visible. This has necessitated reforms including nationalisation of mining activities in the distant past; and currently legal and regulatory reforms. This book gives an insight of these reforms and with reference to the fieldwork research undertaken by the author in some African countries, the book highlights the social and environmental impacts of mining activities in Africa. The central question of the book is, why the mining laws have worked in some countries but not others and what can be done to ensure that these laws are effective? Consequently, the book analyses the legal reforms made in the sector and highlights both the challenges and the opportunities for foreign investors as well as the African governments and local communities. The book will be of great interest to researchers and students in Energy and Geography related fields, as well as to practitioners and policy makers.Table of Contents1. Introduction to Mining in Africa.- 2. Regulation of the Mining Sector in Africa.- 3. Role of International Institutions in African Mining.- 4. Regionalism in African Mining.- 5. Current trends in African Mining.- 6. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis open access handbook analyses the role of development cooperation in achieving the 2030 Agenda in a global context of ‘contested cooperation’. Development actors, including governments providing aid or South-South Cooperation, developing countries, and non-governmental actors (civil society, philanthropy, and businesses) constantly challenge underlying narratives and norms of development. The book explores how reconciling these differences fosters achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.Table of ContentsForeword (Jorge Chediek).-​Introduction : Contestation and Collaboration: Effective Development Cooperation for Achieving the 2030 Agenda.-Section 1: Changing Context of Development Cooperation - Current Narratives and Trends Chapter 1: An evolving shared concept of Development Cooperation (Milindo Chakrabarti and Sachin Chaturvedi, Research and Information System for Developing Countries, India).-Chapter 2: The globalisation of foreign aid: Global influences and the diffusion of aid priorities (Liam Swiss, Memorial University).-Chapter 3: Southernization of OECD’s ODA approach (Paulo Esteves, BRICS Policy Center, Brazil / Stephan Klingebiel, DIE).-Chapter 4: Conceptualising ideational convergence of Chinese and “Western” aid (Heiner Janus, DIE / Tang Lixia, China Agricultural University).-Section 2: Global Development Norms and Institutional Architecture - Points of Convergence and Divergence Chapter 5: How to govern a global development cooperation regime? (André de Mello e Souza, Institute for Applied Economic Research, Brazil).-Chapter 6: The position of development policy: a functional definition(Adolf Kloke-Lesch, Sustainable Development Solutions Network Germany).-Chapter 7: The past and future of the emerging economies and the GPEDC: points of convergence and divergence (Gerardo Bracho, Centre for Global Cooperation Research).-Chapter 8: Should China join the GPEDC? The prospects for China and the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation(Qi Gubo, China Agricultural University / Li Xiaoyun, China Agricultural University).-Section 3: Measurements of Development Cooperation - Frameworks and Theories for Assessments: Development Cooperation Chapter 9: ‘From billions to trillions’: Measuring financing the SDGs in a world ‘beyond aid’ (Emma Mawdsley, University of Cambridge).-Chapter 10: Future of the GPEDC Monitoring Framework (Debapriya Bhattacharya, Centre for Policy Dialogue).-Chapter 11: Monitoring and evaluation in South-South Cooperation: the case of CPEC in Pakistan (Murad Ali, DIE).-Chapter 12: African civil society organizations: Monitoring and Evaluation of CSO programmes (Fanwell Kenala Bokosi, AFRODAD).-Section 4: Multi-level perspectives on development cooperation for achieving the SDGs Domestic:Chapter 13: South Africa’s changing role in development structures: Being in them but not of them (Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIA).-Chapter 14: India’s approach to development cooperation (Anthea Mulakala, The Asia Foundation).-Chapter 15: The SDGs, multilateral development organisations and maximsing the impact of U.S. development assistance (Anthony Pipa, Brookings).-Chapter 16: A middle way towards development cooperation: Foreign aid discourse of South Korea and Turkey in relation to the OECD DAC (Melis Baydag, Ruhr University Bochum).-Chapter 17: Malawi: a micro-cosm of the new development finance architecture (Neissan Besharati, Institute for Global Dialogue, South Africa).-Chapter 18: The role of development cooperation in new national planning in Least Developed Countries (Admos Chimhowu, University of Manchester / David Hulme, University of Manchester).-Triangular Cooperation:Chapter 19: Achieving the SDGs through triangular cooperation/South-South cooperation on climate change: Germany-China-Ethiopia (Moritz Weigel, The ChinaAfricaAdvisory / Alexander Demissie, The ChinaAfricaAdvisory).-Chapter 20: India as a Partner in Triangular Development Cooperation: Prospects for the India-UK Partnership for Global Development (Sebastian Paulo, Observer Research Foundation India).-Non-State Actors:Chapter 21: The changing role of the private sector for development cooperation (Jorge A. Pérez Pineda, Anáhuac University / Dorothea Wehrmann, DIE).-Chapter 22: The Changing Role of the Private Sector in South-South Co-operation: The Cases of Kenya and Uganda (Vitalice Meja, Reality of Aid Africa Network).-Conclusion: What Future for Development Cooperation? Prospects and key messages for BAPA+40 and beyond

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the processes for the inclusion of women, and the role of women employees in Nepal’s forestry bureaucracy. The book adopts a “gender lens” drawn from feminist institutionalism and is framed around the following four objectives: evaluating the effectiveness of current legislative and policy frameworks for the inclusion of women in the Nepalese forest bureaucracy; examining the dynamics of organizational culture, formal and informal institutions, and structure and agency in and around forest bureaucracy in Nepal; assessing power relations in forestry institutions focusing on influential participation of women forestry professionals in the bureaucratic structure; and gaining insights about the alternative space of feminist institutionalism in connection with women inclusive forest bureaucracy.Findings in the book inform and extend feminist institutionalism perspectives by applying it to a context which remains under explored, providing insights on the efficacy of public sector cultural change, especially as it relates to those areas within bureaucracies less in a position to adopt the changes mandated by society and principles of good governance.Table of Contents1. Introduction.2. Gender perspective in forestry and feminist institutionalism.3. The history of Nepalese forest management and the roles of women.4. Methodological Insights into Forestry experiences.5. An analysis of legislative measures on gender equality and women’s inclusion.6. Forestry experiences and Feminist Institutionalism.7. Extending on Feminist Institutionalism.8. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the struggle between China and the United States to expand their influence in Asia through economic assistance and defensive alliances. It brings together the diverse viewpoints of scholars from various countries on how Asian countries will exploit this geo-strategic competition to pursue their national interests, while also balancing their relations with the two great powers. The book offers a valuable asset for all those who have an interest in great power politics and international relations, especially academics, policymakers and security experts.Table of Contents1. Rebalancing Asia: Belt and Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Strategy 2. Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision– In Pursuing a Valid and Substantive Initiative 3. Spatial Conquest by Other Means: Assessing the Geopolitical Impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative4. CPEC: The Buckle in China’s BRI5. China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its Concerns for India6. Connectivity, Cooperation, and Collaboration: China-South Asia Partnerships under the Scientific Belt &Road Initiative7. Opportunities for new trend of labour mobility from Vietnam as a result of Doi Moi, ASEAN Connectivity and One Belt, One Road Initiative8. China’s Geopolitical, Geo-economic and Geostrategic gameplay in the Indian Ocean Region9. China and the BRI: Challenges and Opportunities for Southeast Asia10. Sitting on the Fence? Australia’s Balancing of the Belt and Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Strategy in the new Multipolar World System11. Belt and Road Initiative Vs. Indo-Pacific Strategy: Increasing US-China Strategic Distrust12. China’s Maritime Ambition in South Asia vis-à-vis Bangladesh: A Concern for India?13. India’s China Policy in the ‘Indo-Pacific’: A Balancing Act14. Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS): Challenges and Opportunities for Sri Lanka15. China's Belt and Road: Is it a Game Changer?16. The US and the Indo-Pacific: Trump’s Policy Towards the Region17. A Real Conundrum for ASEAN: How to Cope with America and China?

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Book SynopsisStripping urban sprawl of its pejorative connotations, this book offers a new vision of the city and its growth. The author leads readers to the conclusion that in its complexity and constant change, the city is a wonderful work of mankind.Trade Review"Robert Bruegmann's Sprawl is the most important book on the American landscape since Jane Jacobs's The Death and Life of Great American Cities. It will be as influential in helping us to see American cities and suburbs as they actually are, rather than as imagined by the world's ideologues." - Alexander Garvin, Professor of Urban Planning and Management, Yale University, and author of The American City: What Works, What Doesn't"

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Book SynopsisDrawing on the examples of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and transitional European economies, this volume proposes an alternative vision of institutional development with chapter-length applications to finance, state formation, and health care to provide a holistic, contextualized solution to the problems of developing nations.Trade Review"A fascinating analysis of World Bank policies and lending, focusing primarily on the theory and practice of structural adjustment.... The historical aspects of the presentation are especially interesting, as are institutional details in the chapters on financial repression and health policy." (Choice) "Every year books about the World Bank are published. Few make an impact beyond the moment, if at all. This book does more than make an impact: it sets the standard." (John Weeks, University of London)"

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Book SynopsisThis book includes Janowitz's seminal work, The Military in the Political Development of New Nations, with additional new analysis of Latin American nations and of the increasing significance of paramilitary and police forces in authoritarian regimes in developing nations.

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Book SynopsisBy considering the fada as a site of experimentation, Masquelier offers a nuanced depiction of how young men in urban Niger engage in the quest for recognition and reinvent their own masculinity in the absence of conventional avenues to self-realization.

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Book SynopsisBy considering the fada as a site of experimentation, Masquelier offers a nuanced depiction of how young men in urban Niger engage in the quest for recognition and reinvent their own masculinity in the absence of conventional avenues to self-realization.

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Book SynopsisUnder the tutelage of the World Bank, developing countries have experienced lower growth and rising inequality. This book argues that the institution is plagued by a myopic, neoclassical mindset that wrongly focuses on individual rationality and downplays the social and political contexts that can either facilitate development.Trade Review"Beyond the World Bank Agenda will certainly make an important and novel contribution to the literature. Howard Stein puts forward an institutional approach to development, very different and more akin to the real world than the prevailing view. Commendable." - Philip Arestis, Cambridge Center for Economic and Public Policy, Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge"

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Book SynopsisThe last two decades have ushered in what has become known as a “Participatory Revolution,” with authorities called into communities to listen to ordinary people through “open” forums for engagement. The Participation Paradox argues that amplifying the voices of the poor and dispossessed is often a quick fix incapable of delivering lasting change.Trade Review“This is an outstanding book, rich with data from the grassroots of South African politics and brimming with significant and important contributions to how we should understand the power of a radical reframing of participation.” Alexander Beresford, University of Leeds and author of South Africa’s Political Crisis: Unfinished Liberation and Fractured Class Struggles

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Book SynopsisThis collection asks how citizens and civil society express their interests and exert their agency in authoritarian settings. Focusing on the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front regime over three decades, the book explores civic activism in Ethiopia, presenting diverse examples of how citizens have (re)shaped the country.Trade Review“This crucial volume addresses a clear gap in the existing literature by thoroughly studying Ethiopian civil activism in recent years. The book comes at an important moment of instability and change in Ethiopian politics, providing a wide range of extremely illuminating case studies of civil society activity and the constraints it has faced. It is particularly pleasing to see so many excellent Ethiopian authors contributing chapters, something that is unfortunately uncommon in international publications.” Tom Lavers, University of Manchester and editor of The Politics of Distributing Social Transfers: State Capacity and Political Contestation in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

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Book SynopsisAmid a rise of challenges to the advancement of women’s rights, reproductive health is at the center of discussions of gender equality. Asking how communications are used to shape policy, Carolina Matos explores feminist and health NGOs from across the world and how they are improving discourse on reproductive health in the public sphere.Trade Review“This book makes an important contribution to a range of areas, bringing together debates across gender and development, feminist theory and praxis in development, communication and media analysis, international development, sexual and reproductive health rights, and social justice. I strongly recommend this book for students, scholars and practitioners interested in the field.” Suzanne Clisby, Coventry University“This fascinating work combines intellectual traditions, with practical examples and critical empirical approaches. It is the first book, in a long time, that provides both a theoretical and empirical critique from a feminist perspective, of the field of communication for development. Carolina Matos exposes, using a range of research methods including critical discourse analysis, the problems, difficulties and challenges of the practices that characterise the work of NGOs, especially when they work towards the ‘emancipation of women’.” Linje Manyozo, RMIT University

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