Chances for alternative development? - A rhetorical study of PLAN International's argumentation of development.
TANHUA, HANNELE (2002)
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TANHUA, HANNELE
2002
Kansainvälinen politiikka - International Relations
Yhteiskuntatieteellinen tiedekunta - Faculty of Social Sciences
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2002-06-05Tiivistelmä
This study concentrates on development and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The object of the study is an international non-governmental organisation, Plan. It’s development discourse is examined in the light of people-oriented alternative development which implies empowerment. The hypothesis is that Plan manages to legitimate itself because it claims to facilitate people-oriented development, such as empowerment and the fulfillment of basic needs. The object of the study is how Plan argues of development.
The examination is limited to Plan as an NGO and the objects of development. The object of the analysis is Plan’s policy descriptions. The framework of analysis is based on the theoretical concepts of alternative development. The methodological background relies on Norman Fairclough’s discourse analysis and Chaïm Perelman’s rhetoric. In the analysis itself the concepts of Perelman are used.
The rhetorical study implies the complex nature of NGO-facilitated development. Although convincing, Plan’s rhetoric is ambivalent. Plan proved to be an organisation of which language implied people’s own determination of development and thus empowerment. Nevertheless, Plan offered its own form of development which implied that the organisation sets a somewhat fixed framework of development according to its own preferences.
The study gives some general tools to analyse and question issues related to NGOs and development and their rhetoric. It is advisable to assess the common beliefs and common sense explanations of NGO-generated development. Otherwise, the related field might remain simply defined and this hinders the understanding of the both, NGOs and development.
The object of the study is an international non-governmental organisation, Plan. It’s development discourse is examined in the light of people-oriented alternative development which implies empowerment. The hypothesis is that Plan manages to legitimate itself because it claims to facilitate people-oriented development, such as empowerment and the fulfillment of basic needs. The object of the study is how Plan argues of development.
The examination is limited to Plan as an NGO and the objects of development. The object of the analysis is Plan’s policy descriptions. The framework of analysis is based on the theoretical concepts of alternative development. The methodological background relies on Norman Fairclough’s discourse analysis and Chaïm Perelman’s rhetoric. In the analysis itself the concepts of Perelman are used.
The rhetorical study implies the complex nature of NGO-facilitated development. Although convincing, Plan’s rhetoric is ambivalent. Plan proved to be an organisation of which language implied people’s own determination of development and thus empowerment. Nevertheless, Plan offered its own form of development which implied that the organisation sets a somewhat fixed framework of development according to its own preferences.
The study gives some general tools to analyse and question issues related to NGOs and development and their rhetoric. It is advisable to assess the common beliefs and common sense explanations of NGO-generated development. Otherwise, the related field might remain simply defined and this hinders the understanding of the both, NGOs and development.