Ilan Kapoor succinctly discusses the issues with today's foreign aid system in his seminal work [b:The Postcolonial Politics of Development|6701716|The Postcolonial Politics of Development|Kapoor Ilan|/assets/nocover/60x80.png|6897452]. Arguing that aid is not always as it seems, as a selfless gift to those countries in need, Kapoor explores how foreign aid can actually be hurtful to its recipients while being beneficial to those who offer it.One of the most compelling chapters, Aid as G(r)ft, discusses this very topic. In essence, Kapoor explains, foreign aid is presented to the public as a selfless gift to those who are in need (developing countries). However, in reality, this foreign aid is actually employed to serve the needs of the benefactor, whether they relate to security or commercial interests. For example, one of the reasons many countries are engaged in Afghanistan is not necessarily to help its citizens 'develop', but to serve the purposes of the Western security agenda by monitoring a region in which Al Qaeda is present.This book is an extremely important read for any student or practitioner of international development. Understanding the critiques of aid is essential in making changes to the way it is allocated, and in ensuring it is being contributed to the most important sectors.
Ally
Ilan Kapoor succinctly discusses the issues with today's foreign aid system in his seminal work [b:The Postcolonial Politics of Development|6701716|The Postcolonial Politics of Development|Kapoor Ilan|/assets/nocover/60x80.png|6897452]. Arguing that aid is not always as it seems, as a selfless gift to those countries in need, Kapoor explores how foreign aid can actually be hurtful to its recipients while being beneficial to those who offer it.One of the most compelling chapters, Aid as G(r)ft, discusses this very topic. In essence, Kapoor explains, foreign aid is presented to the public as a selfless gift to those who are in need (developing countries). However, in reality, this foreign aid is actually employed to serve the needs of the benefactor, whether they relate to security or commercial interests. For example, one of the reasons many countries are engaged in Afghanistan is not necessarily to help its citizens 'develop', but to serve the purposes of the Western security agenda by monitoring a region in which Al Qaeda is present.This book is an extremely important read for any student or practitioner of international development. Understanding the critiques of aid is essential in making changes to the way it is allocated, and in ensuring it is being contributed to the most important sectors.
