Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Impact of Shifting NGO Practices

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

Doctoral candidate Faith R. Kares (Northwestern University), supervised by Dr. Micaela di Leonardo, will undertake research in Metro-Manila, Philippines, where Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), such as Gawad Kalinga (GK), partner with poor and working class residents to create affordable housing. GK is an ideal case study with which to examine two deeply intertwined phenomena - the way that governments delegate and NGOs assume responsibility for certain social services, and how these NGOs then use nationalist discourse in their attempts to obtain support from members of the Filipino diaspora. By focusing on the particulars of GK's practices and the ways that these practices are embedded within a particular historical political-economic context, the research will investigate growing transnational linkages, shedding light on the nature of NGO functions in economic contexts. The researcher will use participant observation, oral histories, and semi-structured interviews to document how local residents, GK staff, and foreign youth volunteers understand their involvement in the organizations development efforts. She will examine how the organization measures efficacy and success, and will pay special attention to interactions between residents and foreign youth volunteers. She will also conduct discourse/conversation analysis, and collect and analyze material evidence. The project will address the social significance and characteristics of the increasing role of NGOs in development discourse and action, and the ways that different groups of people strategically engage with these institutions. Research findings may also be useful in policy considerations.