Professionalisation trends and inequality: experiences and practices in aid relationships
Professionalisation trends and inequality: experiences and practices in aid relationships
This article explores the role that skills and knowledge play in the relationships between national and international volunteers and staff. Based on biographical interviews with people working for a wide range of aid organisations, the experiences and strategies of individuals and organisations dealing with inequality and diversity are explored. In particular, this paper addresses the question whether professionalisation processes that can currently be observed in the field of humanitarian aid might contribute to minimizing or perpetuating the gap between national and international aid personnel. Professionalisation processes can have very positive effects not only for aid recipients who obtain better services and aid personnel’s careers, but also for donors and hiring aid organizations which benefit from a skilled work force. However, it needs to be critically reflected what kind of knowledge is validated, where it can be obtained and whether credentials guarantee hiring and promotion of qualified staff from all regions.
1459-1474
Roth, Silke
cd4e63d8-bd84-45c1-b317-5850d2a362b6
2012
Roth, Silke
cd4e63d8-bd84-45c1-b317-5850d2a362b6
Roth, Silke
(2012)
Professionalisation trends and inequality: experiences and practices in aid relationships.
[in special issue: The Personal and the Professional in Aid Work]
Third World Quarterly, 33 (8), .
(doi:10.1080/09700161.2012.698129).
Abstract
This article explores the role that skills and knowledge play in the relationships between national and international volunteers and staff. Based on biographical interviews with people working for a wide range of aid organisations, the experiences and strategies of individuals and organisations dealing with inequality and diversity are explored. In particular, this paper addresses the question whether professionalisation processes that can currently be observed in the field of humanitarian aid might contribute to minimizing or perpetuating the gap between national and international aid personnel. Professionalisation processes can have very positive effects not only for aid recipients who obtain better services and aid personnel’s careers, but also for donors and hiring aid organizations which benefit from a skilled work force. However, it needs to be critically reflected what kind of knowledge is validated, where it can be obtained and whether credentials guarantee hiring and promotion of qualified staff from all regions.
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e-pub ahead of print date: 9 August 2012
Published date: 2012
Organisations:
Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology
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Local EPrints ID: 339335
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/339335
ISSN: 0143-6597
PURE UUID: e77a80ab-15bb-48f3-9d9b-565a9c48eb79
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Date deposited: 29 May 2012 10:14
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:25
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