Edwards, M. and Gaventa, J. (eds.) (2001) Global citizen action: Perspectives and challenges. Boulder: Lynne Rienner and London: Earthscan.
Less than ten years ago, there was little talk of civil society in the corridors of power. But now, the walls reverberate to the sound of global citizen action - and difficult questions about the phenomenon abound. This book presents the cutting edge of contemporary thinking about nonstate participation in the international system. Against the background of the changing global context, the authors present case studies of the most significant social movements and NGO networks influencing the course of world politics today. Their timely analysis encompasses the differing and conflicting interests and agendas associated with "civil society," shedding needed light on the forces that will determine the future of global governance.

Hulme, D. and Edwards, M. (eds.) (1997) NGOs, states and donors: too close for comfort. Basingstoke/New York: Macmillan/St. Martin's Press.
In the last decade the use of non-governmental agencies (NGOs) to promote development and reduce poverty and hunger has become a major feature of development policy. Donors have poured funds into NGOs, governments have allocated them major responsibilities and their number and size has grown. Has this popularity helped them to solve the problems of poverty or has it changed them so that they are now part of the 'development industry' that they used to criticize? This book provides the most detailed study available of the ways in which NGO-State-Donor relationships have changed the role that NGOs play in development. Its papers are introduced by two international experts on the topic and the contributors are leading academics and senior practitioners. The picture that emerges from the general reviews and detailed case studies of African, Asian and Latin American NGOs, is a complex one. However, the authors conclude that there is much evidence that NGOs are 'losing their roots' - getting closer to donors and governments and more distant to the poor and disempowered who they seek to assist.

Edwards, M. and Hulme, D. (eds.) (1995) Non-governmental organisations: performance and accountability: beyond the magic bullet. London/West Hartford: Earthscan/Kumarian.
This is an examination of how NGOs can demonstrate and account for their successes and failures. The book reports that many NGOs are fundamentally weak in this area, and argues that unless performance is improved, confidence in their ability to deliver aid efficiently will be eroded. The first part of the book focuses on the conceptual framework surrounding NGO performance-measurement and accountability. Models of NGO governance, internal/external influences and NGO "room for manoeuvre" are reviewed. The second part includes case studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America which show what happens to NGO performance and accountability in different contexts and different types of agency. The final part of the book explores a range of innovative approaches which NGOs are using to strengthen their accountability both to their donors and beneficiaries. Case studies are presented from real experience to show how monitoring and evaluation can be made both more participatory and more accurate.

Gosling, L. and Edwards, M. (1995) Toolkits: A practical guide to non-profit monitoring and evaluation. Save the Children Fund.
This text provides an overview of the process of programme development and the different approaches which can be used. It offers a step-by-step guide to the questions to be asked in assessment, monitoring and evaluation, and the techniques such as participatory evaluation (PRA) which can be used.

Edwards, M. and Hulme, D. (eds.) (1992) Making a difference - NGOs and development in a changing world. London: Earthscan.
As Western aid budgets are slashed and government involvement with aid programmes reduced, NGOs in the voluntary sector are finding themselves taking an ever-increasing share of development work overseas. As they do so, they are forced to grow and to assume new responsibilities, taking more important and wide-ranging decisions - in many cases, without having had the chance to step back and review the options before them and the best ways of maximizing the impact they make. This collection of essays explores the strategies available to NGOs to enhance their development work, reviewing the ways that options can be understood, appropriate programmes and likely problems.

Abstracts

Edwards, M., Hulme, D. and Wallace, T. (1999) NGOs in a global future: marrying local delivery to worldwide leverage. Public Administration and Development 19, 117-136.
This article argues that global trends are creating unprecedented opportunities for civic action at local, national and international levels. Three interconnected trends are identified: economic and cultural globalization, and the inequality and insecurity they breed; the increasing complexity of humanitarian action in response to ethnic conflict and intrastate violence; and the reform of international co-operation to deal with the problems these trends create. In response, new forms of solidarity are emerging between citizens and authorities at different levels of the world system. It is these new relationships-expressed through partnerships, alliances and other forms of co-operation-that provide the framework for NGO interventions, but they also require major changes in NGOs themselves. Chief among these changes are a move from 'development-as-delivery' to 'development-as-leverage'; new relationships with corporations, elements of states, the military, international institutions and other groups in civil society; and new skills and capacities to mediate these linkages. These developments call for major changes in NGO roles, relationships, capacities and accountabilities.

Edwards, M. (1999) NGO performance - What breeds success? New evidence from South Asia. World Development 27, 361-374.
What is the best way for nongovernment organisations (NGOs) to make a lasting impact on poverty? This paper summarizes the findings of recent research into the impact, sustainability and cost- effectiveness of two NGOs in India and two projects implemented by Save the Children Fund-UK in Bangladesh. The factors determining performance are explored through the interaction of organizational decisions with the external context. Although these interactions are complex and dynamic, some clear conclusions emerge. Making a difference to livelihoods and capacities among poor people depends on NGO successes in fostering autonomous grassroots institutions and linking them with markets and political structures at higher levels, These conclusions question the current predilection among donor agencies to fund large-scale NGO service delivery.

Edwards, M. (1997) Organizational learning in non-governmental organizations: What have we learned? Public Administration and Development 17, 235-250.
Learning is considered to be an essential component of organizational effectiveness in all sectors-private, public and non-governmental. All NGOs aspire to be 'learning organizations', yet few have reflected systematically on the success in this regard. This article summarizes the experience to date of international NGOs that have prioritized learning as an objective, drawing out areas of both success and failure, and reflecting on whether there are any features that distinguish learning in NGOs from learning in other types of organization. A simple typology and set of tests of NGO-learning are presented, along with a series of challenges for the future.

Edwards, M. & D. Hulme. (1996) Too close for comfort? The impact of official aid on non-governmental organizations. World development 24, 961-974.
In promoting a "New Policy Agenda", bilateral and multilateral donor agencies are keen to finance nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and grassroots organizations (GROs) on the grounds of their economic efficiency and contribution to "good governance". This paper reviews the impact of this trend on NGO/GRO programming, performance, legitimacy and accountability. If finds that much of the case for emphasizing the role of NGOs/GROs rests on ideological grounds rather than empirical verification. In addition, though the evidence is inconclusive, there are signs that greater dependence on official funding may compromise NGO/GRO performance in key areas, distort accountability, and weaken legitimacy.

Edwards, M. (1994) NGOs in the Age of Information. IDS Bulletin-Institute of Development Studies 25, 117-124.
Over the past decade, the majority of development NGOs have been engaged in a systematic transition from an exclusively project- oriented approach to the work, to a concern with the broader processes of development and a determination to be more professional about their roles. Hence, NGOs have begun to make more systematic use of information for a wide range of purposes. Based on the experience of Save the Children (UK), this article examines the record of NGOs in this respect, identifies the barriers which prevent NGOs from using the information effectively, and explains how NGOs have tried to overcome these barriers. The article questions whether NGOs are any more successful than other institutions in linking information, knowledge and action, but concludes that certain characteristics of NGOs and NGO approaches do offer hope for the future.

Edwards, M. (1993) "Does the doormat influence the boot?": Critical thoughts on UK NGOs and international advocacy. Development in Practice, 3, 163-75.
Most UK development NGOs engage in advocacy work at the international level in an attempt to reduce the constraints imposed on grassroots development by global economics and the actions of the official aid agencies. Thus far, their record has been disappointing, and this article explores some of the reasons which lie behind the failure of NGOs to fulfil their potential in this field. Four strategic weaknesses are identified: an overall absence of a clear strategy, a failure to build strong alliances, a failure to develop alternatives to current orthodoxies, and the dilemma of relations with donors. Each weakness is analysed with reference to practical examples, and appropriate conclusions drawn.

Edwards, M. and Hulme, D. (1992) Scaling up NGO impact on development: learning from experience. Development in Practice, 2, 77-91.
Despite their increasing numbers and size, the impact of non-governmental organisations' activity on development is usually localised and often transitory. In consequence, NGOs need to analyse the strategies by which they may be able to 'scale up' their contribution to development. This article summarises the proceedings of a recent workshop at the University of Manchester, England, which explored such strategies through a large number of case studies, While it is not feasible to produce prescriptions from these materials, a number of lessons and key issues can be identified, and are highlighted in the article.

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