The Christian international NGO: direction ,value and impact

Christian thought in the development agenda

Brussels, May 28, 2013

Henk JochemsenDirector Prisma,

Holder special chair Christian Philosophy

Wageningen University

Development- what is it?

President Truman, January 1949“

…… we must embark on a bold new program for making the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial progress available for the improvement and growth of underdeveloped areas. ……”.

In course of 20e century: development cooperation a whole of policy and projects, infrastructure, capital and technology transferYears 60 and 70: not the expected resultsYears 80: neoliberal approach: more emphasis on market But: industrialization leads to environmental problems Focus on Sustainable development

(Brundtland, Our common future, 1987)

Characteristics of modern development cooperation

Approach from a ‘deficit’ of other culturesTranslation into ‘project’s’Goal-oriented (technological) interventionsLinear causality between interventions and resultsDesire for quantitative measuring of effects But maintaining basic economic power structuresDC is project of modernity

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 3

12-01-09 PhilCulture#HJ 4

http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/centres/tax/Documents/reports/TaxEvasionReportDFIDFINAL1906.pdf en http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/false-profits.pdf

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 4

Modernity

Premodern, European: World is disrupted but embodies spiritual and moral order

Mankind forms part of it and has special status/steward

ModernHuman being primarily rational subject and source of his valuesWorld (incl. human body): matter and energy to study, control and use Rise of modern science and technologySocial reality is historic constructionEthics

Careful procedure Limit harm

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 5

Modernization led to industrialization, colonialism and recently to globalization

Positive effects, but also exploitation of the ‘developing’ countries,

Increased gap between the South and the ‘North’ and increased poverty for large groups

On the basis of charity, concern, justice and self- interest about 60 years ago the ‘West’ (= the North) began with ‘development aid’

Development and poverty

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 6

‘Development’, dominant late-modern, liberal concept

Material economic growth Dominant role of the market (since 80’s of 20th century) Unresolved tension with nature conservation and sustainabilityAnthropocentrism Technical approachEmphasis on individual rights, mitigated by participatory approach Social structures are supposedly value-free Blind spot for religion

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 7

Another approach at SCO level: a normative practice

Existing structures not value-free but normatively pre-structured; among others in social practices

A practice is a coherent form of historically developed coherent form of human activity

Reason for existence: a specific value, its finality or telos, realised by

observing a constellation of quality standards (principles and rules; rules mainly matter of ‘know how’)

Those principles and norms derived from core value that is reason for existence of the practice

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 8

Structure of Professional practices

P

Professional practices have characteristic constellations of principles and norms A variety of types of norms: psychological, logical (scientific), technical, social,

juridical, economic, ethical

FPN

N

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 9

Development cooperation as a professional practice

What is ‘telos’ of development?

Economic growth? Progress? Happiness?

Cf. Goudzwaard’s turning around of value hierarchy

Development: aiming at wellbeing (McGregor)Basic needs

Experienced quality of life

Experience of meaning in relation with others

Development as value-realisation in practices and institutions: disclosure of meaning

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 10

Telos of Development cooperation

To support the process of development:

helping people to establish and improve their practices and their value realization

Disclosure of the institutions and practices and their meaning

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 11

Core activities of Development cooperation

Educating/ training/empowering people for practices and establishing institutionsCore activity: Facilitation, brokering, coaching, education, training; the target group should remain agents of their development

Qualifying aspect is the formative (historical,

cultural technical) aspect (like in education)

Core value/normative principle: meaning-oriented shaping

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 12

Normative perspectives philosophy of H. Dooyeweerd

Quantitative (discrete amount) Spatial (continuous space) Kinematic (movement) Physical (energy + mass, forces) Biotic / Organic (life functions + organisms) Sensitive / Psychic (sense, feeling, emotion) Analytical (distinction, conceptualization) Formative (deliberate shaping: history, culture, technology, achievement) Lingual (meaning carried by symbols) Social ('we': sociality, relationships, roles) Economic (frugal management of resources) Aesthetic (harmony, surprise, play, enjoyment; expressiveness) Juridical (due: responsibilities+rights; justice) Ethical (self-giving love, generosity; care ) Pistic (vision, aspiration, commitment, belief)

‘Direction’ of practice, role of faith & religion

Actual performance of practices ‘directed’ by ‘world view’:

Beliefs and convictions for finding and interpreting meaning

Regulates interpretation of the situation and the rules

Religion, a source for that esp. in developing countries

Religion-inspired beliefs on development should be debatable in public sphere

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 14

Behaviour, culture and religion

Visible problems in culture are the tip of the iceberg ofunderlying values and beliefs

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 15

Direction and christian faith

Christian notions influencing the direction of development practice

Creation motive

Evil and disorder

Liberation and salvation motive

Eschatological motive: anti-utopian

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 16

Practice and virtues

Competent performance of practices requires virtues (stable normative attitudes; embodiment of principles)

The principles and norms of the practice should be observed ‘naturally’, ‘spontaneously’

Understanding; interest, receptiveness, postponing judgement

Openness

Honesty

Trust, modesty and calmness

Wisdom, prudence, courage

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 17

Implications (1)

The modern concept of development has led to a number of global crises (finance, food, fuel)

Yet this modern concept still guiding in most developmental policies of wealthy countries

Has only been partially successful in combating poverty

If successful it will worsen the crises

Change of mind set and system required

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 18

Implications (2)

Respect inherent normativity in reality: ecological and cultural sustainability in addition to social and economic

Pursuit of well-being requires global awareness

From an exploitative to a recycling economy (cradle-to-cradle, bio-economy)

Non-trade concerns count in WTO negotiations

Broader set of indicators for ‘development’ than GNP (e.g. indicators like Human development index, HDI

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 19

Thank you for your attention

See www.prismaweb.org

20130528 EU-Cord#HJ 20

Effects of Interventions on culture and behaviour

EU-Cord#HJ 2120130528

www.HDR_2010_EN_Complete_Reprint.pdf p.13

14-02-11 PhilCulture#HJ 2220130528 EU-Cord#HJ 22