Inside the Everyday Lives of Aid Workers: The Challenges and Futures of Aidland

Rarely is the lens of aid policy turned on the lives of aid workers themselves. Yet, the seemingly impersonal network of agencies and donors that formulate and implement policy are composed of real people with complex motivations and experiences that might provide important lessons about development’s failures and successes. Inside the Everyday Lives of Development Workers breaks new ground by illuminating the social and cultural world of "aidland." The authors examine how aid workers' moral beliefs link and conflict with their initial motivations; how workers relate to aid beneficiaries, their local NGO counterparts, and other aid workers; their views on race and sexuality; the effect of transient lifestyles; and the security and family issues that come with their careers. The result is an enhanced picture of development processes that acknowledges the rich web of relationships at all levels of the system.