Surreptitious symbiosis: engagement between activists and NGOs (original) (raw)

NGOs and social movements: A study in contrasts∗

Capitalism Nature Socialism, 1998

From the perspective of research on new social movements, NGOs present a challenge because, like the social movements, they are also often grassroots organizations. They act autonomously, they form networks, and they pursue partially similar goals such as environmental protection, support of people in the developing countries, and gender equality. Social movements are bound to a national social space, even when they deal with global interdependence, or the "planetarization" of action. 1 They presuppose a national political public through which they are mediated and sometimes even created. The mobilization of protest is aimed at influencing local or national political institutions. Usually, specifically national forms of problems and conflicts are being attacked; for example, federal or state projects such as nuclear power plants, roads or airports. Even deeply rooted and enduring power mechanisms, such as sexism, appear in the context of national patterns of the welfare state and the political public sphere. As a result of language difficulties, scarce resources and different political circumstances, transnational cooperation between social movements is, as a rule, laborous and shortterm. 2 This has epistemological consequences: As a rule, social *Text translated by Dale Whinnett

NGOs: between buzzwords and social movements

Development in Practice, 2007

The associations that the term 'NGO' has acquired in development discourse need to be criti-cally analysed in relation to practice on the ground. Drawing on an analysis of the rise of NGOs in Palestine, the author suggests that the development of the NGO movement served to ...

NGOs and Civic Activism in Armenia: Four Case Studies

Armenian Review, 2017

This paper discusses four cases of civic activism in Armenia in 2013-2014, based on qualitative interviews and focus group discussions, in order to assess the role of NGOs in supporting self-organized activism. The four cases present a range of NGO involvement: from none to direct support. The paper also maps perceptions of activists about NGOs and discusses the blurry border between NGOs and individual-based civic activism. We find that NGOs are generally negatively perceived by activists, as institutions lacking public trust. NGOs are cognizant of this and often opt for “backstage” support for activists, not to undermine their public image

Egypt post the January 25th revolution: the relationship between non-governmental organizations and networks of activists

2015

This study looks at the relationship and dynamics of interaction between human rights NGOs and networks of activists belonging to three social movements. Three NGOs are studied as case studies in their relationship with networks of activists belonging to three social movements; students' rights movements, anti-sexual violence and harassment groups, and new engaged urban initiatives. The study explores the relationship between both to identify their motivations, features, and foundations. It also explores other stakeholders' impact on the relationship mainly state institutions. The study also looks at the dynamics of the relationship given the organizational, professional, and institutionalized nature of NGOs as opposed to the non-structured, voluntarily, non-institutionalized nature of network of activists within social movements. The study focuses on the three years from 2011-2013, it tackles the development of the relationship starting from January 25 th revolution and end...

Inconsistencies in Activists’ Behaviours and the Ethics of NGOs

Journal of Business Ethics, 2009

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and pressure groups have taken up the mission of counterbalancing the huge power of the multinational corporations. Curiously, while most NGOs have a sincere ethical background and a genuine ethical motivation, the way some activist groups and NGOs themselves act does not always live up to the principles they advocate. Research using a multiple case study methodology is used to provide an illustration of various questionable practices followed by pressure groups revealing a range of tactics. The concerns, the objectives and the legitimacy of NGOs and activist groups will be discussed, along with their strategies and tactics. A framework will be developed as a basis for analysing the ethical aspects of the various NGO actions. The analysis of the cases will reveal some worrisome inconsistencies between the demands and the practices of NGOs and activist groups. Should not the means employed by activists and NGOs be consistent with their own espoused or implied values? As power gives responsibility, NGOs should be seen as having corporate stakeholder responsibility.