Issue 1, 2005   

International solidarity advocated. A battle in development-politics.

Gerhard Simon, A new start in Ukraine, FJNSB 01/2005, pp.7-13.

Gerhard Simon analyzes the so called orange revolution in Ukraine in late fall 2004. Despite several unsolved problems the country is starting something new. The country became a different one since people recognized, that society can change politics. This was surprising for most people. Simon assumes the revolution not as a natinalistic act, but a civic-democratic move towards a common future with Europe.

Have social movements to break taboos? That is Ulla Wischermann’s question. And she answers “Yes, but not necessary.” If social movement want to be successful they have to use public as well as private channels of communication. Only culture of movement and public attention together guarantee political success of social movements. The key is mixing interaction between simple and complex publics, public and personal communication.

Dirk Messner, Development policies since 1989: instable world order – global interdependences- legitimation, FJNSB 01/2005, pp.24-34.

Changing actors, states and societies are for Dirk Messner the key factors of new development policies have to beaware of. Instable financial markets, climate problems or the interdependent enforcement of poverty, AIDS, migration and conflicts are indicators for risks within the system, which may affect the whole world. Messner assumes a world society of risk, which is very complex. Facing the interdependence, cooperation between developed and development-countries is the pivotal policy. Germany accounts for this by their policies. They do not only give external help, but aim at an improvement of the global system, in order to support countries to participate in global governance.

Claudia Olejniczak, Third-world-movement and professionalization, FJNSB 01/2005, pp.35-42

Campaigning and lobbying are cenral strategies within the third-world-movement, rooting in the 1960ies. Campaigns are by now a necessary tool for successful lobbying in development policies. These campaigns have become more and more professional. The article illustrates this development by the campaigns Against Sex Tourism and Fair Trade.

Anja Appel, International campaigns as a strategic instrument in development-NGOs, FJNSB 01/2005, pp.43-50.

Research on NGO-campaigns analyzes the subject mainly from the point of political communication and acquirement of ressources. Especially in the field of development policies effectiveness is analyzed often. Though many changes in the NGOs environment take place, it is rather seldom analyzed, what campaigns mean for strategies and organizational structures. Referring to terres des hommes and International campaign against child trade, the article wants to show, how NGOs are able use campaigns for organizational and strategic change.

Kerstin Martens, NGOs as professional actors, Care International at the UN, FJNSB 01/2005, pp.51-57.

Kerstin Martens analyzes the relation between NGOs dealing with humanitarian aid and the UN and changes of the last decade. In particular NGOs professionalization shall be focussed, regarding priveleges given by the UN to the NGOs. This process is illustrated by CARE International. The article shows, how NGOs improved the cooperation with the UN and by this augmented their space for maneuvre. Have they taken part in operational actions only before, now they participate during the whole political process. They advise, influence the agenda and are members in several councils. Especially informal mechanisms improved, so NGOs can keep contact with high officials from states as well as from the UN. But this improvement is a privelege for only some NGOs, mainly those, which are able to operate internationally. UN wants to increase cooperation with these NGOs, as they are regarded as important international actors.

Knud Vöcking, NGO lobbying at the world bank, FJNSB 01/2005, pp.58-64.

Knud Vöcking shows, how engagement of civil society towards the world bank has developed. He focusses on lobbying and international cooperation of NGOs, including also the problems. Vöcking analyzes existing conflicts between the world bank and international NGOs, describing the campaign Extractive Industries Review, which criticises the world bank’s policies concerning raw materials. The protests derive, relating to the author, from the fact, that these policies destroy environment and exacerbates poverty in several regions, where projects are undertaken. Conclusively he demands, that political science should deal more intensively with small NGOs.

Berthold Kuhn: NGO´s potential of innovation, their pattern of action and their dilemmata in orientation, FJNSB 01/2005, pp.65-71

This paper presents an analytical framework for understanding typical patterns of action and internal transformation of Non-Governmental Organisations. The strategic orientation and internal working culture of NGOs is influenced by partnership arrangements with public donors and for-profit activities. It is difficult for NGOs, in particular Southern NGOs, to strike a balance between an identity as solidarity based organisations and professional service providers. Short-term contractual arrangements with donor agencies, poor legislative provisions and a volatile political environment often play in favour of transforming social development oriented NGOs into commercial, political or bureaucratic outfits.

Mundo Yang, North-South conflict within the Jubilee2000-campaign, FJNSB 01/2005, pp.71-79.

Mundo Yang analyzes the Jubilee2000 campaign, which demanded a debt relief for the so called third world. Within only few years activists collected approximately 24 million signatures in 166 countries, which is the biggest collection worldwide. On national and international level the policy of debt relief was accompanied by protests and lobbying. Especially on the international level the activists showed their demands during the G8 summits. In particular Yang analyzes the relation between northern and southern activists. Finally there was an independent Jubilee South founded. Analyzing the backgrounds the author reconstructs Jubilee South’s critic. This is important as most analyzes regard only the campaign in the north and lack the critics from the south.