Work in crisis : Managing fantasies about distant strangers, managing aid workers
Drążkiewicz, Elzbieta LU
(2018)
In Social and Cultural Geography
19(6).
p.812-830
- Abstract
This article provides an insight into the world of Polish development workers operating in South Sudan. It shows that the conceptualisations of aid work in terms of a ‘mission’, a unique job with a special, ethical goal, a difficult, risky operation requiring specific skills are not incidental. Instead, the point is made, that such ways of thinking about foreign aid and distant locations are strongly institutionalised sets of values and behavioural patterns, here defined as ‘work in crisis’. This specific notion is shaped by aid organisations who actively promote this rhetoric firstly through producing ‘truth’ about the aid work and project locations, and secondly through governing lived realities of the aid workers. The ‘work in... (More)
This article provides an insight into the world of Polish development workers operating in South Sudan. It shows that the conceptualisations of aid work in terms of a ‘mission’, a unique job with a special, ethical goal, a difficult, risky operation requiring specific skills are not incidental. Instead, the point is made, that such ways of thinking about foreign aid and distant locations are strongly institutionalised sets of values and behavioural patterns, here defined as ‘work in crisis’. This specific notion is shaped by aid organisations who actively promote this rhetoric firstly through producing ‘truth’ about the aid work and project locations, and secondly through governing lived realities of the aid workers. The ‘work in crisis’ rhetoric helps to draw people into a development movement as devoted and allegiant followers. It also enables the management of these employees who are the most crucial for the industry–project coordinators–but who are separated from the organisational headquarters and NGO management by thousands of miles. Finally, it assists in the promotion of foreign aid among wider audiences in donor societies.
(Less)
- author
- Drążkiewicz, Elzbieta
LU
- publishing date
- 2018-08-18
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- aid management, aid workers, Aidland, Crisis, foreign aid, NGOs, South Sudan, Poland, humanitarianism
- in
- Social and Cultural Geography
- volume
- 19
- issue
- 6
- pages
- 19 pages
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85017237188
- ISSN
- 1464-9365
- DOI
- 10.1080/14649365.2017.1312697
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- additional info
- Funding Information: This work was supported by the Gates Cambridge Trust. Publisher Copyright: © 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
- id
- dce37364-7c59-428d-b4a7-f092287f0aa6
- date added to LUP
- 2023-08-23 22:54:02
- date last changed
- 2023-08-25 14:56:50
@article{dce37364-7c59-428d-b4a7-f092287f0aa6,
abstract = {{<p>This article provides an insight into the world of Polish development workers operating in South Sudan. It shows that the conceptualisations of aid work in terms of a ‘mission’, a unique job with a special, ethical goal, a difficult, risky operation requiring specific skills are not incidental. Instead, the point is made, that such ways of thinking about foreign aid and distant locations are strongly institutionalised sets of values and behavioural patterns, here defined as ‘work in crisis’. This specific notion is shaped by aid organisations who actively promote this rhetoric firstly through producing ‘truth’ about the aid work and project locations, and secondly through governing lived realities of the aid workers. The ‘work in crisis’ rhetoric helps to draw people into a development movement as devoted and allegiant followers. It also enables the management of these employees who are the most crucial for the industry–project coordinators–but who are separated from the organisational headquarters and NGO management by thousands of miles. Finally, it assists in the promotion of foreign aid among wider audiences in donor societies.</p>}},
author = {{Drążkiewicz, Elzbieta}},
issn = {{1464-9365}},
keywords = {{aid management; aid workers; Aidland; Crisis; foreign aid; NGOs; South Sudan; Poland; humanitarianism}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{08}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{812--830}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Social and Cultural Geography}},
title = {{Work in crisis : Managing fantasies about distant strangers, managing aid workers}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2017.1312697}},
doi = {{10.1080/14649365.2017.1312697}},
volume = {{19}},
year = {{2018}},
}