Knowledge for Development?: Comparing British, Japanese, Swedish and World Bank Aid.

King, Kenneth

ISBN 10: 1842773259 / ISBN 13: 9781842773253

Editore: Zed Books, 2004

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London : Zed Books, 2004. Paperback. 256 pp. Library stamp. English text. Condition : very good - In 1996, the World Bank President, James Wolfensohn, declared that his organization would henceforth be "the knowledge bank." This statement marks the beginning in earnest of a new discourse of knowledge-based aid, which has spread rapidly across the development field. This book is the first detailed attempt to analyze this new discourse and practice. Through an examination of four agencies--the World Bank, the British Department for International Development, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency--the book explores what this new approach to aid means in both theory and practice. It argues that too much of the emphasis of knowledge-based aid has been on developing capacity within agencies rather than addressing the expressed needs of Southern "partners." Moreover, it questions whether knowledge-based aid leads to greater agency certainty about what constitutes good development. Condition : very good copy. ISBN 9781842773253. Keywords : development,

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Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: Knowledge for Development?: Comparing British, Japanese, Swedish and World Bank Aid.
• Editore: Zed Books
• Data di pubblicazione: 2004
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 1842773259
• ISBN 13: 9781842773253
• Rilegatura: Brossura
• Condizione: very good

Descrizione articolo

Riassunto

In 1996, the World Bank President, James Wolfensohn, declared that his organization would henceforth be 'the knowledge bank'. This marked the beginning of a new discourse of knowledge-based aid, which has spread rapidly across the development field. This book is the first detailed attempt to analyse this new discourse. Through an examination of four agencies -- the World Bank, the British Department for International Development, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency -- the book explores what this new approach to aid means in both theory and practice. It concludes that too much emphasis has been on developing capacity within agencies rather than addressing the expressed needs of Southern 'partners'. It also questions whether knowledge-based aid leads to greater agency certainty about what constitutes good development. 


'New information technology has the capacity to revolutionize the delivery of development assistance, but only if accompanied by institutional changes, including a move away from centralization and top-down aid processes. In this excellent book the authors present a detailed analysis and balanced assessment of the prospects for knowledge-based aid to achieve the goal of improving aid effectiveness. Based on conceptual framework setting and a close examination of actual experience they conclude that success depends on reconceptualizing aid itself in the direction of capacity building in poor countries.'

Ravi Kanbur, T.H. Lee Professor of World Affairs, Cornell University


'Knowledge management is popular. Aid agencies talk easily of sharing stories, communities of practice and double-loop learning. But are they ready to sacrifice a preoccupation with results and a concern to disseminate 'best practice' in favour of real partnership and mutual learning across divergent networks? King and McGrath are sceptical. Their case studies and argument challenge all of us involved in the production, sharing, and use of knowledge.'

Simon Maxwell, Director of the Overseas Development Institute (ODI)

Informazioni sull?autore

Kenneth King is Professor of International and Comparative Education and Director of the Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh. He is the author or editor of several books , including 'Aid and Education' and 'Changing International Aid to Education' (edited with Lene Buchert).
Simon McGrath has been a research fellow at the Centre of African Studies, and became Research Director at the Human Sciences Research Council in Pretoria, South Africa in October 2002.
Both authors have published extensively in African Studies and International Comparative Education and have been researching development cooperation for a number of years.
Kenneth King is Professor of International and Comparative Education and Director of the Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh. He is the author or editor of several books , including 'Aid and Education' and 'Changing International Aid to Education' (edited with Lene Buchert).
Simon McGrath has been a research fellow at the Centre of African Studies, and became Research Director at the Human Sciences Research Council in Pretoria, South Africa in October 2002.
Both authors have published extensively in African Studies and International Comparative Education and have been researching development cooperation for a number of years.