Can NGOs Make a Difference?: The Challenge of Development Alternatives [Paperback] Bebbington, Anthony J; Hickey, Samuel and Mitlin, Diana C

Three development scholars take a hard look at whether NGOs actually deliver on their promises — or just deliver good intentions. Anthony Bebbington, Samuel Hickey, and Diana Mitlin dig into case studies from across the Global South, examining when and why NGOs succeed in creating real change versus when they simply become part of the machinery they claim to challenge. This isn't a cheerleading manual or a takedown piece; it's a clear-eyed analysis of power, participation, and the gap between grassroots rhetoric and institutional reality. They explore funding structures, state relationships, and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes the most well-meaning organizations reinforce the systems they aim to dismantle. Essential reading for anyone working in international development, social policy, or anyone who's ever wondered where their donation actually goes and what it actually does.