Description
Is it possible to discern the extent to which the philanthropic work of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) such as Oxfam, CAFOD, Saferworld, or Save the Children is intermingled with additional, potentially partisan interests? Large INGOs working in crisis areas present themselves as manifestations of a truly cosmopolitan international society. Critics, by contrast, hold that such organizations are primarily, if not exclusively, a conduit for advancing the interests of their ‘Western’ donors. The discussion has gained added urgency due to the rise of illiberal politics and the increased push back against INGO interference.
The paper theorizes the contribution of informal interpersonal networks to shaping the policies and programmes of INGOs in the international governance of crisis areas. It presents the first systematic account for measuring their effects on INGO practices. The paper conceptualizes social networks simultaneously as dynamic structures and social processes to assess the informal and interpersonal interfaces between the UK governmental and INGO-spheres at three levels: staff, board members, and management/elite networks. Based on a mixed-methods social network analysis, the paper presents a new analytical model for assessing the proximity and characteristics of INGO-governmental interfaces. It also draws on qualitative case studies to discuss the implications of this analysis for the wider debate surrounding INGO legitimacy and the role of interpersonal networks in international politics.
