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Development Assistance for a New Era? The Reconfiguration of CSO Agency in Swedish Development Cooperation

Loustalot, Miguel LU (2025) SIMZ31 20251
Graduate School
Abstract
This thesis examines how Sweden’s new development policy, Development for a New Era, reconfigures the agency of its civil society organizations (CSOs). The policy marks a major shiftin Sweden’s foreign aid landscape, moving from a human rights– and needs-based approach to one driven by strategic, trade, and migration interests. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of interviews with CSO staff and media publications, the study finds that the new policy has significantly constrained CSO agency—not only through the changes formally set out in policy documents, but also through factors linked to its implementation and the deterioration of CSO–government relations. The research concludes that CSO agency has not been entirely suppressed but rather... (More)
This thesis examines how Sweden’s new development policy, Development for a New Era, reconfigures the agency of its civil society organizations (CSOs). The policy marks a major shiftin Sweden’s foreign aid landscape, moving from a human rights– and needs-based approach to one driven by strategic, trade, and migration interests. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of interviews with CSO staff and media publications, the study finds that the new policy has significantly constrained CSO agency—not only through the changes formally set out in policy documents, but also through factors linked to its implementation and the deterioration of CSO–government relations. The research concludes that CSO agency has not been entirely suppressed but rather displaced. Excluded from their traditional role as policy partners, CSOs have been pushed into the position of external watchdogs, creating new spaces for resistance through public dissent and mediaadvocacy. Ultimately, this transformation in Swedish aid policy threatens the long-term prospectsfor a pluralistic and autonomous civil society within Sweden’s development cooperation sector. (Less)
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author
Loustalot, Miguel LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMZ31 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Swedish aid policy, CSO agency, development reform, power reconfiguration, shrinking civil space
language
English
id
9209737
date added to LUP
2025-09-19 13:37:16
date last changed
2025-09-19 13:37:16
@misc{9209737,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines how Sweden’s new development policy, Development for a New Era, reconfigures the agency of its civil society organizations (CSOs). The policy marks a major shiftin Sweden’s foreign aid landscape, moving from a human rights– and needs-based approach to one driven by strategic, trade, and migration interests. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of interviews with CSO staff and media publications, the study finds that the new policy has significantly constrained CSO agency—not only through the changes formally set out in policy documents, but also through factors linked to its implementation and the deterioration of CSO–government relations. The research concludes that CSO agency has not been entirely suppressed but rather displaced. Excluded from their traditional role as policy partners, CSOs have been pushed into the position of external watchdogs, creating new spaces for resistance through public dissent and mediaadvocacy. Ultimately, this transformation in Swedish aid policy threatens the long-term prospectsfor a pluralistic and autonomous civil society within Sweden’s development cooperation sector.}},
  author       = {{Loustalot, Miguel}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Development Assistance for a New Era? The Reconfiguration of CSO Agency in Swedish Development Cooperation}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}