The Credibility of Transnational NGOs

by Gourevitch, Peter A.; Lake, David A.; Stein, Janice Gross

• ISBN13: 9781107018044
• ISBN10: 1107018048
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-02-27
• Publisher: Cambridge Univ Pr

Summary

We rely on NGOs to monitor the ethical practices of governments and for-profit firms and to undertake many humanitarian tasks that public and private actors will not do. While we are critical of public and private sector failures, we do not reflect enough on the credibility of the NGOs which take their place. Can we be sure that products NGOs label as child-labor free are in fact so, that the coffee labeled as 'fair trade' is farmed in sustainable ways, or that the working conditions monitored by NGOs are safe and that the wages are reasonable? Can we know that humanitarian organizations are, in fact, using our donations to alleviate human suffering rather than pursuing other goals? This book explores the problems of establishing the credibility of NGO activities as they monitor working conditions, human rights and elections and provide finance through microcredit institutions, development aid and emergency assistance.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Beyond virtue: evaluating and enhancing the credibility of non-governmental organizations

Monitoring and NGOs

Why believe international election monitors?

Credible certification of child labor free production

Becoming a household name: how human rights NGOs establish credibility through organizational structure

Humanitarian NGOs

Dilemmas of information and accountability: foreign aid donors and local development NGOs

In defense of virtue: credibility, legitimacy dilemmas, and the case of Islamic Relief

Monitoring repayment in online peer-to-peer lending

Conclusion

Credibility and compromises Peter A. Gourevitch

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