Public Attitudes to Overseas Giving: Does Government Make a Difference?
Public Attitudes to Overseas Giving: Does Government Make a Difference?
To what extent does the UK government influence public attitudes to overseas giving? This question is addressed with qualitative research based on focus group discussions. Knowledge of government involvement in overseas aid was found to be low. The majority of donors and non-donors to overseas causes were cynical about government messages and policies on overseas aid. There were consistent doubts about the effectiveness of development assistance. Existing attitudes towards development are reasonably ‘hardened’ or engrained. Positive influences on overseas giving – all of which seemed more influential than that of the government – included travel, the interventions of well known non-political figures, and the discovery of more direct and concrete ways of giving (e.g. ‘virtual gifts’). Future steps for government involvement in promoting overseas giving more effectively are discussed.
Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute, University of Southampton
Atkinson, Richard
107c3cac-20ee-4b52-9c7d-8259c0aa7f9a
Eastwood, Amy
92aba53c-ca26-4bef-8104-762971adbc91
11 September 2007
Atkinson, Richard
107c3cac-20ee-4b52-9c7d-8259c0aa7f9a
Eastwood, Amy
92aba53c-ca26-4bef-8104-762971adbc91
Atkinson, Richard and Eastwood, Amy
(2007)
Public Attitudes to Overseas Giving: Does Government Make a Difference?
(S3RI Applications & Policy Working Papers, A07/05)
Southampton, UK.
Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute, University of Southampton
72pp.
Record type:
Monograph
(Working Paper)
Abstract
To what extent does the UK government influence public attitudes to overseas giving? This question is addressed with qualitative research based on focus group discussions. Knowledge of government involvement in overseas aid was found to be low. The majority of donors and non-donors to overseas causes were cynical about government messages and policies on overseas aid. There were consistent doubts about the effectiveness of development assistance. Existing attitudes towards development are reasonably ‘hardened’ or engrained. Positive influences on overseas giving – all of which seemed more influential than that of the government – included travel, the interventions of well known non-political figures, and the discovery of more direct and concrete ways of giving (e.g. ‘virtual gifts’). Future steps for government involvement in promoting overseas giving more effectively are discussed.
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48324-01.pdf
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Published date: 11 September 2007
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Local EPrints ID: 48324
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/48324
PURE UUID: 86da430a-7d09-45eb-bf73-1f51a8141238
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Date deposited: 11 Sep 2007
Last modified: 20 Feb 2024 03:21
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Author:
Richard Atkinson
Author:
Amy Eastwood
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