Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

NGOs and Their Potential in Post-colonial Societies

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover NGO Politics in Sri Lanka

  • 270 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter sets out and analyses the roles of NGOs in post-colonial contexts towards understanding the extent to which NGOs act as facilitators of local development ; the extent to which NGOs strengthen the local policy processes by encouraging people’s participation ; the possibilities of collaboration between NGOs and government in designing and implementing policies and programmes; and the possibilities of NGOs to act as intermediaries in networking between national, provincial and local government and the people. The chapter sets out the theoretical framework and the main arguments of the book through exploring post-colonial theory , government-NGO relations and policy network theory .

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Large-scale construction projects include the reconstruction and infrastructure development projects such as roads, highways, bridges, airports, harbours, government buildings, tourist hotels, factories and sports complexes. These projects are mostly foreign-funded and controlled fully or partly by the central government.

  2. 2.

    See ACDI-CIDA, “Tsunami Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Programme”.

  3. 3.

    Kleymeyer, Cultural Expression and Grassroots Development, 4–6.

  4. 4.

    Childs and Williams, An Introduction to Post-Colonial Theory, 1, 10.

  5. 5.

    Moore-Gilbert, Postcolonial Theory, 203.

  6. 6.

    Young, Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction, 57.

  7. 7.

    Ibid.

  8. 8.

    Ashcroft, Post-colonial Transformation, 7.

  9. 9.

    Prasad, “The Gaze of the Other,” 5.

  10. 10.

    Rukundwa and Aarde, “The Formation of Postcolonial Theory”.

  11. 11.

    Young, Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction, 66.

  12. 12.

    Young, Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction, 3.

  13. 13.

    Young, Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction, 45.

  14. 14.

    Nkrumah, Neo-Colonialism, the Last Stage of Imperialism.

  15. 15.

    Sarkar, NGOs and Globalization, 8.

  16. 16.

    For examples, from Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, China, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand; from Africa, South Africa; and from South America, Brazil have been identified as NICs.

  17. 17.

    See Bozyk, Globalization and the Transformation.

  18. 18.

    Lewis and Opoku-Mensah, “Policy Arena,” 668, 670.

  19. 19.

    See Appadurai, “Grassroots Globalization”.

  20. 20.

    Wickramasinghe, Civil Society in Sri Lanka, 84.

  21. 21.

    Asia Economic Institute, “Economic Impacts”.

  22. 22.

    See Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government, Performance—2005 & Future Plans—2006 and Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils, Progress Report 2009, Future Plans 2010.

  23. 23.

    Appadurai, “Grassroots Globalization,” 16–17.

  24. 24.

    Fitzduff and Church, “Stepping up to the Table,” 9–10.

  25. 25.

    Ibid., 10.

  26. 26.

    Bratton, “The Politics of Government-NGO Relations,” World Development, 576.

  27. 27.

    Willetts, “What is a Non-Governmental Organization”.

  28. 28.

    Pentland, “International Organizations and Their Roles,” 244.

  29. 29.

    Ibid.

  30. 30.

    Bratton, “The Politics of Government-NGO Relations,” World Development, 584.

  31. 31.

    Drabek, “Development Alternatives,” World Development, xiv.

  32. 32.

    Willis, Theories and Practices, 98–100.

  33. 33.

    Drabek, “Development Alternatives,” World Development, x.

  34. 34.

    Lewis, “Individuals, Organisations and Public Action,” 202.

  35. 35.

    Cited in Lewis, The Management of Non-Governmental Development Organizations, 77.

  36. 36.

    Ibid.

  37. 37.

    Kloos, The Sri Lankan Government and the NGO’s, 25–26.

  38. 38.

    Bratton, “Non-Governmental Organizations in Africa,” Development and Change, 88.

  39. 39.

    Seffrin, “United States Nongovernmental Organizations”.

  40. 40.

    Fitzduff and Church, “Stepping up to the Table,” 13–14.

  41. 41.

    Ibid.

  42. 42.

    Lewis and Opoku-Mensah, “Policy Arena: Moving Forward,” 666–667.

  43. 43.

    DeMars, NGOs and Transnational Networks, 60.

  44. 44.

    Fitzduff and Church, “Stepping up to the Table,” 12–13.

  45. 45.

    Ibid.

  46. 46.

    Badu and Parker, “The Role of Non-governmental Organisations,” Journal of Social Development in Africa, 38.

  47. 47.

    Bratton, “The Politics of Government-NGO Relations,” World Development, 585.

  48. 48.

    See Hogwood and Gunn, Policy Analysis for the Real World, 7–10.

  49. 49.

    See Howlett et al., Studying Public Policy, 46–57.

  50. 50.

    See Birkland, An Introduction to the Policy Process, Sabatier, “Fostering the Development of Policy Theory,” and Colebatch, Policy.

  51. 51.

    Uyangoda, “Sri Lanka Post the LTTE”.

  52. 52.

    See Fernandez, “NGOs in South Asia,” World Development.

  53. 53.

    Sabatier, “Fostering the Development of Policy Theory,” 3.

  54. 54.

    Colebatch, Policy, 40.

  55. 55.

    Ibid., 125.

  56. 56.

    Howlett et al., Studying Public Policy, 63–64.

  57. 57.

    Ibid., 65.

  58. 58.

    Anderson, Public Policymaking: An Introduction, 65–67.

  59. 59.

    Dunleavy and O’Leary, Theories of the State, 312–313.

  60. 60.

    Ibid.

  61. 61.

    Colebatch, Policy, 27.

  62. 62.

    Schattschneider, The Semisovereign People, 105.

  63. 63.

    Bachrach and Baratz, “Decisions and Non-Decisions,” American Political Science Review, 641–651.

  64. 64.

    Anderson, Public Policymaking: An Introduction, 94–95.

  65. 65.

    Colebatch, Policy, 28–29.

  66. 66.

    Howlett et al., Studying Public Policy, 76.

  67. 67.

    Osman, “Public Policy Making”.

  68. 68.

    Bratton, “The Politics of Government-NGO Relations,” World Development, 582–583.

  69. 69.

    Ibid., 585.

  70. 70.

    Bratton, “Non-Governmental Organizations in Africa,” Development and Change, 116.

  71. 71.

    Knoke, “Policy Networks,” 210–211.

  72. 72.

    Scharpf, Games Real Actors Play, 116–151.

  73. 73.

    Fischer, Reframing Public Policy, 32.

  74. 74.

    Chambers, Whose Reality Counts? 106.

  75. 75.

    Knoke, “Policy Networks,” 215.

  76. 76.

    DeMars, NGOs and Transnational Networks, 51–52.

  77. 77.

    Ibid., 52.

References

  • ACDI-CIDA. “Tsunami Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Programme.” n.d. http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/eng/NAT-215111822-M5J (accessed June 21, 2013).

  • Anderson, J.E. Public Policymaking: An Introduction. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Appadurai, A. “Grassroots Globalization and the Research Imagination,” In Globalization, edited by A. Appadurai, 1–21. London: Duke University Press, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashcroft, B. Post-Colonial Transformation. London: Routledge, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asia Economic Institute. “Economic Impacts of Sri Lanka’s Civil War.” n.d. http://www.asiaecon.org/special_articles/read_sp/12556 (accessed October 23, 2013).

  • Bachrach, P.S. and Baratz, M.S. “Decisions and Non-Decisions: An Analytical Framework.” American Political Science Review 57 (1963): 641–651.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Badu, Y.A. and Parker, A. “The Role of Non-governmental Organisations in Rural Development: The Case of the Voluntary Workcamps Association of Ghana.” Journal of Social Development in Africa 9, no. 1 (1994): 27–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birkland, T.A. An Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories, Concepts, and Models of Public Policy Making. New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bozyk, P. Globalization and the Transformation of Foreign Economic Policy. England: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bratton, M. “The Politics of Government-NGO Relations in Africa.” World Development 17, no. 4 (1989): 569–587.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bratton, M. “Non-Governmental Organizations in Africa: Can They Influence Public Policy?” Development and Change 21 (1990): 87–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chambers, R. Whose Reality Counts? Putting the First Last. London: Intermediate Technology Publications, 1997.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Childs, P., and Williams, P.R.J. An Introduction to Post-Colonial Theory. London: Prentice Hall, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colebatch, H.K. Policy. UK: Open University Press, 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeMars, W.E. NGOs and Transnational Networks: Wild Cards in World Politics. London: Pluto Press, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drabek, A.G. “Development Alternatives: The Challenge for NGOs—An Overview of the Issues.” World Development 15, Supplement (1987): ix–xv.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunleavy, P. and O’Leary, B. Theories of the State: The Politics of Liberal Democracy. London: Macmillan, 1987.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez, A.P. “NGOs in South Asia: People’s Participation and Partnership.” World Development 15, Supplement (1987): 39–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, F. Reframing Public Policy: Discursive Politics and Deliberative Practices. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzduff, M. and Church, C. “Stepping up to the Table: NGO Strategies for Influencing Policy on Conflict Issues,” In NGOs at the Table: Strategies for Influencing Policies in Areas of Conflict, edited by M. Fitzduff and C. Church, 1–22. Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogwood, B.W. and Gunn, L.A. Policy Analysis for the Real World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howlett, M., Ramesh, M. and Perl, A. Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleymeyer, C.D., ed. Cultural Expression and Grassroots Development: Cases from Latin America and the Caribbean. London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kloos, P. The Sri Lankan Government and the NGO’s: An Ambivalent Relationship. Amsterdam: Vrije Universiteit, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knoke, D. “Policy Networks,” In The SAGE Handbook of Social Network Analysis, edited by J. Scott and P.J. Carrington, 210–222. London: SAGE, 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, D. The Management of Non-Governmental Development Organizations: An Introduction. New York: Routledge, 2001.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, D. “Individuals, Organisations and Public Action: Trajectories of the ‘Non-governmental’ in Development Studies,” In A Radical History of Development Studies, edited by U. Kothari, 200–222. London: Zed Books Ltd., 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, D. and Opoku-Mensah, P. “Policy Arena: Moving Forward Research Agendas on International NGOs: Theory, Agency and Context.” Journal of International Development 18 (2006). www.interscience.wiley.com.

  • Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government. Performance—2005 & Future Plans—2006. Colombo: Government of Sri Lanka.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils. Progress Report 2009, Future Plans 2010. Colombo: Government of Sri Lanka.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore-Gilbert, B. Postcolonial Theory: Contexts, Practices, Politics. New York: Verso, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nkrumah, K. Neo-Colonialism, the Last Stage of Imperialism. 1965. http://www.marxists.org/subject/africa/nkrumah/neo-colonialism/introduction.htm (accessed October 25, 2012).

  • Osman, F.A. “Public Policy Making: Theories and Their Implications in Developing Countries.” Asian Affairs (2002). http://www.cdrb.org/journal/2002/3/3.pdf.

  • Pentland, C. “International Organizations and Their Roles,” In Perspectives on World Politics, edited by R. Little and M. Smith, 242–249. London: Routledge, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prasad, A. “The Gaze of the Other: Postcolonial Theory and Organizational Analysis.” In Postcolonial Theory and Organizational Analysis: A Critical Engagement, edited by A. Prasad, 3–43. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rukundwa, L.S. and Aarde, A.G. “The Formation of Postcolonial Theory.” n.d. http://www.ajol.info/index.php/hts/article/viewfile/41235/8623 (accessed April 16, 2012).

  • Sabatier, P.A. “Fostering the Development of Policy Theory,” In Theories of the Policy Process, edited by P.A. Sabatier, 261–275. UK: Westview Press, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar, A.K., ed. NGOs and Globalization: Developmental and Organizational Facets. India: Rawat Publications, 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scharpf, F.W. Games Real Actors Play, Actor Centred Institutionalism in Policy Research. Boulder: Westview Press, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schattschneider, E.E. The Semisovereign People. New York: Hollt, Rinehart & Winston, 1960.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seffrin, J.R. “United States Nongovernmental Organizations.” n.d. http://www.answers.com/topic/non-governmental-organization (accessed February 24, 2012).

  • Uyangoda, J. “Sri Lanka Post the LTTE.” 2010. http://www.india-seminar.com/2010/605/605_jayadeva_uyangoda.htm (accessed March 27, 2012).

  • Wickramasinghe, N. Civil Society in Sri Lanka: New Circles of Power. New Delhi: Sage Publications, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willetts, P. “What is a Non-Governmental Organization.” 2002. http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/p.willetts/CS-NTWKS/NGO-ART.HTM#Part7 (accessed February 24, 2012).

  • Willis, K. Theories and Practices of Development. London: Routledge, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, R.J.C. Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction. UK: Blackwell Publishers, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, R.J.C. Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka

    Indi Ruwangi Akurugoda

Authors
  1. Indi Ruwangi Akurugoda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Indi Ruwangi Akurugoda .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Akurugoda, I.R. (2018). NGOs and Their Potential in Post-colonial Societies. In: NGO Politics in Sri Lanka. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58586-4_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation