SSEE 2003 Working Papers in Development
Working Paper 11
'Economic independence through expansion of private sector enterprise – The 'prescriptive unreality' of Niue's development planning' - Philip Cohn
Abstract
This paper examines the developing organic agriculture industry on the Pacific Island microstate of Niue. Organic agriculture is one strategy being used by Niuean people as a means of providing livelihoods and economic activity within the context of economic reforms which require reduced aid dependency and a down sizing of the public sector. Organic farming is of interest because in many ways it is an activity which straddles the divide between the current development orthodoxy and alternative or sustainable human development frameworks. Organic farming demands environmental stewardship and the utilization of local human capital and indigenous knowledge, but also, in Niue at least, is largely driven by the production of non-traditional agro-exports, a core component of the often criticised growth oriented strategy of development so dominant in the Pacific. From this point of view, organic farming may represent a viable fusion of the demands of the global economy and donor agencies for export driven growth, with the desire of Niueans for local environmental conservation and social stability.
Despite the positive opportunities provided by organic farming there is limited scope for the provision of adequate living standards through export agriculture on Niue. For this reason it is argued that the development objectives of the Government of Niue which are shaped by the dual concerns of neoliberal economic reform and the fundamental problem of population decline are inevitably contradictory. There is tension between the need to abate the forces that drive the unique pattern of migration experienced by Niue, and the demands of economic reform that have no regard for such temporal and spatial specificities. In the case of Niue, the pursuit of such policies may reduce the population to such an extent that the capacity required for it to remain an independent country may be irrevocably undermined.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 149KB)
Working Paper 10
'Environment, Development and Security in Pacific Island Countries: Challenges for the United States and Australia' - Jon Barnett
Abstract
This paper focuses on evolving environment and development challenges in Pacific Island Countries. It considers those problems that might become substantial security problems for the United States and Australia. It provides a brief overview of the latest research on violent environmental conflicts, and then it considers environment and development problems in the Pacific Islands in terms of their violent conflict potential. Two conclusions are drawn. First, environmental problems cannot be considered in isolation from broader development problems, this is a substantial limitation of much of the existing environment-conflict research. To ignore development issues is to ignore an important component of violent conflict generation and therefore conflict mitigation and resolution. Second, there are few environmental issues that are likely to trigger major violent conflict in the region. Those issues that do have the potential are isolated to particular places and, providing certain development paths are pursued, should be avoidable. Climate change, however, poses some security risks. In terms of these environment and development challenges, the paper then outlines a possible regional foreign policy for the United States and Australia, including potential roles for these countries' armed forces. The principal recommendation is for clear priorities to be set, and implemented, in United States and Australian foreign policy to determine whether economic or strategic goals should take precedence. This is because economic agendas are increasingly counterproductive to strategic imperatives for stability in and good relations with Pacific Island Countries.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 277KB)
Working Paper 9
'The Labour Market in International Development: an empirical study of jobs advertised on industry websites' - M Webber, L Morrison, G Ervin-Ward, J Montgomerie, R Bowen, K Medica
Abstract
This working paper examines the international labour market in the development industry by identifying the key characteristics of jobs advertised on industry websites and describing the types of job available to prospective candidates.
This examination is positioned within a broader literature review of international labour markets. The paper argues that the literature is limited with regard to careers in development and tends to be based on assumptions. This paper aims to improve our understanding of the characteristics of development jobs and promote a greater awareness of the types of job available in the development industry.
The paper is empirical. Over 170 job advertisements from a range of industry websites were collated. Each job was examined and key data extracted. The data used included information on the employer (e.g. donor, NGO, Government); the job (e.g. location, salary, tenure); and the person required (e.g. qualifications, languages, experience).
On the basis of this analysis, the paper identifies the largest category of employer in the development industry, the typical length of tenure of positions and the indicative qualifications and experience sought.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 185KB)
Working Paper 8
'Gender and Development Dialogue - GAD and intersectionality in the region: forging the future' - Jenny Riley
Abstract
Gender mainstreaming and intersectionality are both approaches to forwarding gender equality. Gender mainstreaming is the strategy used to implement gender and development thinking. Intersectionality is an approach to understanding the relationship between gender, race and other aspects of identity that are sources of systematic discrimination.
This paper does not purport to be a comprehensive overview of gender mainstreaming and intersectionality. Rather it provides brief background on these approaches, policy directions and, in the case of mainstreaming, experiences with implementation, to enable some shared knowledge of trends, issues and ideas, and provide a basis for wider discussion and collaboration at a think tank/symposium that was held on 3-4 July 2003. It is intended as a dynamic document; participant feedback and input is actively sought.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 470KB)
Working Paper 7
'Comparative and international education at the cutting edge: Teaching and researching gender and citizenship with Sri Lankan senior teacher educators' - Victoria Foster
Abstract
In 1999, a newly developed graduate course on "Gender and Citizenship" at an Australian regional university attracted a group of Australian and international students, mostly from what are usually described as marginalized positionings. This presentation reports on longitudinal research with ten of these students, eight male and two female Sri Lankan senior teacher educators. Innovative pedagogies were developed collaboratively and the students were asked to keep detailed journals of their experiences in the course, and to submit two evaluations. Their responses suggest new answers and meanings to Spivak's (1987) question, 'Can the subaltern speak?' Follow-up research with the students in 2000 after their return to their colleges in Sri Lanka revealed profound change, both personal and professional. A further study is planned for 2002.
As Arnot and Dillabough (2000) note, the emerging field of citizenship education is seriously un(der)theorized, particularly in relation to the vast literature on feminist theory and citizenship. The research questions in the present study are: what is the nature of changes in the students' construction of their own identity in relation to gender and citizenship issues in the longer term, and what is the impact of these changes? This presentation explores the students' responses after nearly three years, and my own reflections on what occurred.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 218KB)
Working Paper 6
'Integrated Economic, Social and Environmental Planning in the Pacific Region' - Peter King
Abstract
Since the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972 called for comprehensive planning to incorporate environmental concerns, successive international and regional conferences have reconfirmed the need to consider economic, social, and environmental dimensions of development at the same time and in the same depth. However, there is no consensus on how such integrated planning should be done or at what level it is the most effective. Various tools for integrating these dimensions have been developed at global, regional, national, subnational, community, and project levels. Ideally, these multiple levels of integrated plans should form a consistent, hierarchical set of plans in which each layer is related to the upper and lower levels. Examination of the wide range of integrated plans developed for the Pacific region, and elsewhere, shows that there is a paucity of planning at the subnational level. This paper argues for increased attention to be paid to integrated planning at the subnational level, preferably using an entire ecosystem as the planning base. The Asian Development Bank has developed a suitable planning model for integrated planning at this level, which, with some modifications, could considerably advance the cause of sustainable development in the Pacific region. The paper also confirms the argument advanced by Mak Khan that participatory rhetoric needs to be matched by a cultural shift in development institutions away from top-down planning towards a genuine participatory approach.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 454KB)
Working Paper 5
'Peace and Development in Post-War Iraq' - Jon Barnett, Beth Eggleston and Michael Webber
Abstract
This paper broadly discusses some of the challenges in reconstructing Iraq. It does not speculate about the motives for or the legality of the US-led invasion of Iraq; nor does it consider the regional implications of development in Iraq. Our concern is broadly to consider the capacity of a US-imposed reconstruction to promote peace and sustainable development in Iraq, and the problems that must be resolved. Its discussion is based on what is known about Iraq and about previous reconstruction efforts. Of course, the paper is tentative: reconstruction is enormous and complex; events are continuing to unfold; and we rely on secondary sources.
Key words: Iraq, reconstruction, development, peace, security, power, participation
Published version: Barnett, B Eggleston, M Webber (2003)‘Peace and Development in Post-War Iraq', Middle East Policy , 10(3): 22-32.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 259KB)
Working Paper 4
'The Conflict in Iraq and the International Rule of Law' - Gillian Triggs
Abstract
At the heart of all these questions is the place of the rule of law in the Iraqi conflict. While our leaders have demonstrated contempt for law, there has been, at the same time, a demand by the global body politic for management of the Iraqi crisis according to the rule of law. Overwhelmingly, the public has demanded that any use of force against Iraq should be with Security Council authorisation, demonstrating a relatively sophisticated understanding of the differences between force that has, or lacks, United Nations authorisation. It is as though the public were saying:
We don't fully understand the powers of the Security Council, but it is all that stands between an orderly approach to conflict and unilateral, pre-emptive and self-serving strikes by powerful nations
This paper considers the United Nations system for peace enforcement and the legality at international law of the attack on Iraq by the coalition. It then examines the future role of the Security Council, the legal obligations of occupying forces, particularly rights to oil resources and, finally, the possibility of war crimes trials.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 246KB)
Working Paper 3
'Gobalising the Chinese Countryside: The Case of "Rich Wang's Village"' - Michael Webber and Mark Y L Wang
Abstract
Social change in China is to be understood as a complex interaction of global effects, state and regional actions and competing systems of valuation. One of the important implications of this model of path dependence is the emergence of distinctive forms of development in different regions of the country. One such distinctive model that is emerging in southern Inner Mongolia is based on the independent commodity production of milk (on small dairy farms) for large, capitalist dairy corporations. Yet this production system is also being challenged by the emergence of large, capitalist dairy farms in this region. The outcome of the competition between these two forms of production depends on locally specific trajectories of costs and opportunities. The long run evolution of this production system is thus not planable in advance and is locally contingent. Published version: forthcoming in Geoforum, 2006.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 530KB)
Working Paper 2
'Sustainability Through Participation: Roles and Functions for Development Project Managers' - Mak Khan
Abstract
The failures of prescriptive top-down approach in development management have prompted much debate concerning the position of development agencies, their role and functions, and have stimulated a requirement for new methods of management by which such failures might be avoided in the future. Ownership of a project by stakeholders involves ensuring the widest possible participation of those who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of the project. The essence of ownership is that the recipients drive the process of planning, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project. This is in contrast to the alternative model of development where project conceptualisation, objectives and design are imposed on the community by people external to the community. Participatory approaches can also challenge perceptions, leading to a change in attitude and agendas and stimulate creativity of the beneficiaries. According to the prescriptive approach, the key to successful management lies within comprehensive and detailed project design, which lays out steps and actions for implementation, whilst attempting to foresee possible problems and risks. Thus, the manager? role is focused upon the efficient administration of the project, and the attainment of project sustainability.
This paper reviews key elements in the debate surrounding these questions, and presents a synthesis of managerial roles and functions that may serve to provide a crucial means for integrating the broad concepts of the new development paradigm into the substantive mechanics of development institutions. The shift from the theoretical premise that development must be people centred and participatory to its actual operationalisation means that civil society must be re-engaged through connecting individuals with communities, and communities with the government and the economy. Failures of development have often been attributed to problems associated with development agencies and project managers, both individuals and large corporate entities. Alongside governments, project managers must understand their required roles in a participatory environment and strengthen their capacities through a mutual organisational learning process if projects are to be truly sustainable.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 272KB)
Working Paper 1
'Educational Development in East Timor' - Yiftach Millo and Jon Barnett
Abstract
This paper provides a critical overview of educational development in East Timor. It discusses the effects of Portuguese colonization and Indonesian occupation on East Timor's educational development, but is particularly concerned with the period between October 1999 and May 2002 when the country was governed by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). The paper argues that while UNTAET had some success in reconstructing the education sector in East Timor, it missed an important opportunity to implement the more profound transformation that was called for by Timorese leaders. It also explains that UNTAET was an illegitimate actor in educational development in that it did not have popular acceptance from the people of East Timor. This legitimacy problem manifested itself in numerous ways in educational development, the most important being imbalanced partnerships between agents of change at the macro (national) level, and between the macro and micro (local) levels.
Published verison: Y Millo and J Barnett (2004) 'Educational development in East Timor" International Journal of Educational Development 24(6): 721-737.
Download the entire paper (PDF format 305KB)