Abstract

Alkire explores the ethical basis for engagement in a society of an external agent, using the World Bank as a case study. An understanding of culture leads to a quite different approach to the relationship between external agents and domestic partners: from old-style advise-and-invest, to an emphasis on exploration and discovery of local conditions, support for participatory debate on options, including those from international experience. The World Bank has been moving significantly in this direction in many areas in recent years, but still straddles old and new patterns of thought and engagement. Moreover, all powerful external development agencies have their own strong organizational cultures that have an impact on their deliberations and interactions. Unequal power relationships between donor organizations and their clients can result in policies that reflect the donor’s domination of the interaction, with policies that reflect the careless application of current ideological fads rather than negotiations under equal terms of engagement. The role that this plays in development policy needs more attention and understanding from policy makers.