The Changing Nature of International Aid

Project Summary

COVID-19 and the 2020 racial justice movement both amplified the need for international aid and challenged the legitimacy and effectiveness of current aid activities, necessitating a widespread “rethink” of international aid policy and practice. RIPIL supported this effort through a series of workshops that identified and explored pressing research questions on the role of international aid today. The workshops focused on: (1) the changing ways in which recipient governments engage with international donors; (2) the interactions between international aid actors and non-state armed groups when providing aid and social services; (3) the practical implications of decolonizing aid, and (4) the changing nature of US foreign assistance.

Funder(s)

• Humanity United (HU)

• Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law (the Platform)

Award(s)

• $34,500 (HU)

• $20,000 (the Platform)

Principal Investigator(s)

• Susanna Campbell, American University

• Hilary Matfess, University of Denver (Co-PI)

• ‘Dapo Oyewole, Dignity Collective (Co-PI)

• Haley Swedlund, Radboud University (Co-PI)

Partner(s)

• Bridging the Gap

• Centre for International Conflict - Analysis and Management at Radboud University

• Dignity Collective

• University of Geneva Africa Lab

• United States Institute of Peace

Project Manager(s)

• Abrehet Gebremedhin, American University

Related Publications

• Bridging the Gap Between Research and Policy: Lessons from Co-Creation in the Aid Sector

• Who is in Charge? Power Dynamics and Aid in Africa

• Power Dynamics in Foreign Aid (Consultation Report)

Project Status

Further publications forthcoming

Cover image of project: photo credit