Pt. I. Introduction -- 1. Development and Peasants' Associations in Sub-Saharan Africa -- African Dilemma -- Organizations and Development -- Organization Building from Below - When, Where, and Why? -- Pt. II. Eastern and Southern African Experience -- 2. ESA Experience - Part 1 -- World They're In -- Public Decentralization, Development, and Collective Action -- 3. ESA Experience - Part 2 -- NGOs and Peasants' Associations in ESA -- Preliminary Assessment -- Pt. III. West African Experience -- 4. Decentralization and Organizations in West Africa -- Mali -- Senegal -- Burkina Faso -- Benin -- Cote d'Ivoire -- Ghana -- Nigeria -- 5. Farmers' Associations in West Africa -- Cooperatives, Producers' Organizations, and Farmers' Associations -- Regional Cooperation -- 6. Interpreting the West African Experience -- Success Stories -- Why the Successes? -- Possible Success Stories -- Geography and Associations -- What's So Fascinating about Community? -- Summing Up -- Are West African Associations Leading the Way? -- Pt. IV. Another World is Possible -- 7. Another World is Possible -- Development Trends and Potentials among African Rural Organizations -- Implications for Donors.
Summary:
"Beginning in the 1980s, sub-Saharan Africa witnessed a veritable explosion of NGOs and CSOs engaged in efforts to develop the subcontinent. Often praised for their commitment, flexibility, close contact with grassroots movements and marginalized groups, these organizations have become the darlings of donors and the UN system. During the same period, however, rural Africa has sunk deeper into poverty. The massive NGO engagement appears not to have made any meaningful progress." "Snakes in Paradise breaks through the generalizations and neat theories to discover why these efforts have failed. Focusing especially on those local NGOs that are frequently overlooked by studies that cover the major international players, Holmen uncovers a NGO landscape that is considerably more ambiguous than the popular development literature would have people believe."--BOOK JACKET.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.