The Prelude

This summer is the culmination of a lot of planning and hard work.  As though life is proving a point, making all of my summer research successful will require even more planning and hard work.

For the next ten weeks I’m traveling to at least five countries on four continents as I research development projects, via a grant from the Circumnavigators Club Foundation.  In Macedonia, the Central African Republic, Georgia, Israel, and China, I will be researching development institutions--like the World Bank and USAID--that are giving grants to support non-governmental organizations’ (NGOs) development projects.  You can read that again if you want. 

This research combines two interests of mine.  First, I’ll learn more about development, and how it’s being implemented in several different contexts around the world.  Second, I’ll be looking at bureaucratic politics in these institutions.  How do the aid institutions and NGOs work together?  How is power or expertise in this relationship distributed?  How does all that effect the final outcome?

I’m trying to remain as open-minded as possible, so I’m not designing exact experiments and test cases.  To give myself just a bit of direction, however, I will be comparing the projects in at least two respects.  How do they ensure sustainability of the development they produce?  That’s not referring to much-in-vogue environmental sustainability, but rather, if the aid agency and all its money were taken away, would the effects of the development project remain?  Also, how much control does the NGO have over the project, as opposed to the funding agency?

So that’s the plan.  It comes with a few ironies that I enjoy.  For example, my own research is funded by a grant from the Circumnavigators Club Foundation.  Thus, all of the questions I ask about how financially accountable these projects are, whether the money could have been spent better elsewhere, and how control is distributed between granter and grantee are questions one could also ask of myself.  I’m watching these aid agencies and NGOs, but who is watching me?  You, perhaps?  That's basically the same level of accountability most NGOs have too.

The other irony is that while I am observing development around the world, I will also be--one would hope--experiencing my own development.  From my current view, twenty-four hours before departure, correctly executing this research and making the most of this opportunity will entail more than focus or talent.  It will require continual adjustment to new cities, languages, and cultures.  Loneliness and boredom will doubtless descend on me.  On the more positive side, I’ll surely learn more than just what I’m researching.  If nothing else, traveling to new countries and reading in planes and airports for hundreds of hours will help ensure that.

My hope is that ten weeks from now I’ll understand more about development, the world, and the future.  If you’re interested in my development research, or in my own development (no promises), you can just follow me here.