Inclusive Aid

* Argues that, to be successful, development must be understood and approached as a "complex system" * Presents case studies that demonstrate the power that all actors have to make a difference * Essential reading for all aid and development practitioners, scholars, policymakers, and donors Rapid and profound changes are taking place in international development. The past two decades have seen a rise in the ideals of participation and partnership and attempts to enable the voices of the poor to be heard. Yet embedded traditions, vested interests, and bureaucratic inertia mean that old behaviors persist and planning continues as though free of chaotic interactions among stakeholders. "Inclusive Aid" exposes the need to recognize the complex, nonlinear nature of development assistance and how bureaucratic procedures and power relations hinder poverty reduction in the new aid environment. A host of academics, policymakers, and practitioners, expose the challenges and opportunities facing the aid community today and argue for greater attention to issues of accountability and the adoption of rights-based approaches. They reveal the highly politicized and dynamic aid environment in which they work, and challenge existing political, institutional, and personal ways of working. Crucially, the book shows how translating rhetoric into practice relies on changing the attitudes and behaviors of individual actors.