Query: non-governmental academics

title: Neoliberal Impact on Social Work in South African Non Governmental Organisations
abstract: The South African social work profession, which can be considered to still be in the early stages of rebirth post apartheid, has been affected by neoliberal compromise. This paper reflects on the impact of neoliberalism on South African social work, particularly within the context of non governmental organisations (NGOs) as perceived and experienced by front line social workers and social work managers. The findings highlight some of the unseen struggles of South African social work practice, as the profession is caught between the demands of social development and neoliberalism. This study invites the voices of front line social workers to join academic debate and offer on the ground insight which social work academics might not be able to identify. In doing so, the discussion around neoliberal impact on South African social work and NGOs is deepened, allowing for authentic reflection on the challenges for the profession within an environment of neoliberal and developmental conflict.

title: An improbable coalition: how businesses, non governmental organizations, investors and academics formed the global network initiative to promote privacy and free expression online.

title: Contesting Global Civil Society's Legitimacy Claims: Evaluating International Non Governmental Organizations (INGOs) Representation of and Accountability to Beneficiaries
abstract: The global civil society is often regarded as a progressive moral force that provides advocacy and protection of marginalized groups in the global political arena. Nevertheless, departing from the belief that civil society has great power and influence over global dynamics, it sees that the legitimacy claims they articulate and articulated by academics are essential to be evaluated, especially with regard to their representation and accountability groups and individual beneficiaries. This paper concludes that the claims of legitimacy of civil society are less justifiable, both normatively and empirically. From the normative point of view, claims for civil society representation are problematic because they are often less ethical and thus have a counterproductive effect on the benefit of beneficiaries. In addition, they are more accountable to donors and the sustainability of related institutions than the interests of beneficiaries. From the empirical point of view, the legitimacy of civil society is also questionable because it is now emerging discourses from their own beneficiaries who oppose the actions of representatives and the lack of accountability demonstrated by International Non Governmental Organizations over Beneficiaries. This paper concludes with a recommendation to the International NGOs to put the Beneficiaries' interests as top priority and stop projecting beneficiaries as passive, mute, and without political agency.

title: Non governmental organisations and the management of HIV and AIDS in refugee camps: A comparison of Marratane Camp in Mozambique and Kakuma Camp in Kenya
abstract: In recent years, a number of sub Saharan African states appear to have placed restrictions on the operations of international non governmental organisations (NGOs) within their state boundaries. Indeed, some commentators and academics have questioned the role NGOs should play in providing humanitarian aid to refugees and to what extent they are, or should be, involved in the political, cultural, economic and healthcare concerns and agendas of any state. However, the high HIV/AIDS prevalence in refugee camps in sub Saharan Africa creates negative economic, social, political and security implications for their host states and many states lack the knowledge, experience and funds to manage the problem successfully. Within this context, this article examines and compares the role and effectiveness of two separate NGOs involved since 2001 in HIV/AIDS management programmes in two distinct refugee camps: Save the Children in Marratane Refugee Camp in Mozambique and the International Rescue Committee in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. NGO success in managing HIV/AIDS programmes is analysed according to UNHCR guidelines and specifically against four key aspects of HIVAIDS management; HIV/AIDS awareness, HIV/AIDS prevention, access to HIV healthcare services and the provision of treatment.

title: Third World non governmental organizations and US academics: Dilemmas and challenges of collaboration

title: Assessing policy makers' academics' and experts' satisfaction with the performance of the Palestinian health research system: a qualitative study
abstract: BackgroundThere is a growing demand within international health agencies to ensure health research systems (HRSs) are strengthened and well functioning to support healthcare systems (HCSs) Understanding HRS performance through system actors is an indispensable move in analysing this system. This study aims to examine policy makers' academics' and experts' satisfaction with overall HRS performance, while also investigating their perceptions about political will and attention towards health research. Ultimately, we want to identify gaps related to performance and generate insights on how to move forward for HRS performance strengthening.MethodsThis study was carried out in Palestine, targeting three sectors, namely government institutions, public health universities, and major local and international health non governmental organisations (NGOs) Semi structured, in depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with participants. The institutions from the three sectors were selected based on stated criteria and peer reviews. Data were translated from Arabic into English, transcribed, content checked by the principal investigator, imported to a software programme (MAXQDA 12) and then coded. Thematic content analysis was used. total of 104 experts participated in 52 IDIs and 52 experts participated in 6 FGDs. Findings revealed three principal domains. First, the HRS in Palestine is remarkably underperforming, and the majority of experts were unsatisfied. Participants perceived the system as ineffective and inefficient, poorly managed and lacking systematic assessment. Second, the factors behind system underperformance were (1) an unstructured system and the lack of a research culture as well as of a governing body or policies; (2) health research was seen as individualistic, non development driven and unutilised in policy decisions; and (3) considerably deficient coordination and essential resources. The third finding showed inadequate political support and engagement, which then also related to system underperformance.ConclusionsThe Palestinian HRS is perceived as underperforming by health experts at different levels, where research is not on the leadership agendas. Potential actions should be taken to actively engage the state health decision makers and inform them of the importance, uses and impacts of performance assessment. Findings urge policy makers and legislators to build an inclusive and national body of governance with agreed strategies including fundamentally hybrid and aligned performance assessment mechanisms, such as a research observatory platform. In addition, it is recommended to establish a strategic plan to expand professionals' research awareness and abilities, as well as empower the institution's research monitoring and evaluation capacities.

title: Non Governmental Organisation Participation in the EU Law Making Process: The Example of Social Non Governmental Organisations at the Commission, Parliament and Council
abstract: This article explores the avenues used by non governmental organisations working in the sector of EU social policy to influence the law making process at the EU. The Commission's current transparency initiative has focused attention on the rules (or lack of) governing access to the Commission as the initiator of legislation. This article examines more broadly, on the basis of interviews, both the formal and informal means of accessing not only the Commission, but also the European Parliament (in particular through intergroups) as well as the Council. By using specific examples of legislation it illustrates the routes by which social non governmental organisations currently interact with these institutions, offering examples of how their work may impact on the output of the Commission, Council and Parliament. The article avoids an overly legalistic analysis with an original glimpse at the hidden workings of the EU law making process which has hitherto received little attention among legal academics and practitioners.

title: Are non governmental organizations working in development a transnational community?
abstract: At the end of this millennium, poor people in low income economies have lived through a series of extraordinary changes. The latest has been the rise of the transnational community of workers in NGDOs (non governmental 'development' organizations) a community expressing shared values, language and practices which differ from those of local everyday life, from Orissa to Oxfordshire. NGDOs are not new but have burgeoned beyond recognition. For a Mexican peasant, NGDOs may be a more relevant, more immediate reality than NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Area) One thread of ideas in the community treats of women's self empowerment. Very similar discussions of 'autonomy' have been witnessed among speakers of Mixe in Mexico and Telegu in India. How may we understand a community of ideas which produces such strikingly parallel local talk in such distant and dissimilar locales? More important, how may these very speakers best understand it? This paper will set what we, as academics, know about the community against selected, positive, rice roots responses to one feminist thread within it.

title: Paradigm shift in the global IP regime: The agency of academics
abstract: The global intellectual property (IP) regime is in the midst of a paradigm shift in favour of greater access to protected work. Current explanations of this paradigm shift emphasize the agency of transnational advocacy networks, but ignore the role of academics. Scholars interested in global IP politics have failed to engage in reflexive thinking. Building on the results from a survey of 1679 IP experts, this article argues that a community of academics successfully broke the policy monopoly of practitioners over IP expertise. They instilled some scepticism concerning the social and economic impacts of IP among their students as well as in the broader community of IP experts. They also provided expert knowledge that was widely amplified by non governmental organizations (NGOs) and some intergovernmental organizations, acting as echo chambers to reach national decision makers. By making these claims, this article illustrates how epistemic communities actively collaborate with other transnational networks, rather than competing with them, and how they can promote a paradigm change by generating, rather than reducing, uncertainty.

title: Academics doing participatory disaster research: how participatory is it?
abstract: Participatory methods in disaster research and disaster risk reduction are increasingly used by non governmental organizations (NGOs) government agencies, and academics. The three key principles of participatory research are: (a) empowering the powerless, (b) instigating changes at policy level, and (c) generating sustainable solutions that match with local communities' needs. Yet, academic research is inherently extractive and local people are generally not involved in the research project design and objectives, nor in the assessment of the research outcomes. Reflecting upon fieldwork done with disaster affected communities, this article analyses the difficulties and limitations faced during the participatory process and challenges the capacity of participatory research, when carried out in an academic context, to generate these three key principles. It is concluded that there is need for more accountability of academics towards local communities, and greater involvement of the participants within the data collection and analysis process.