Development cooperation in the face of postcolonial studies

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Develop-mental turn within political science and human geography.
• From growth theory to postdevelopment critics
• What is development cooperation?
• Postcolonial studies and their influences on >>development<<.
• Othering and dichotomization, a tool for colonial suppression
• The linearity of »development« – universalization of a \"western❞ norm
• A neo-colonial praxis - western interests and manifestation of dependency
• The problem of representation – “speaking for” instead of \"speaking with”
• Methodology
• Auto-ethnography
• What auto-ethnography is and how it is applied
• The GlobalMatch concept and its interrelation with the researchers' self.
• Critical considerations on auto-ethnography and flaws to avoid
• Conversations open interview
• Discourse analysis
• Literature analysis
• The GlobalMatch concept in the face of postcolonial critics.
• Let's overcome the 'us' and 'them' dichotomy!
• Target group - Demarcation of the global North and South?
• Time, punctuality, reliability - who sets the rules?
• Dropouts - They only ask me for money.
• Countering the western »development« norm?
• Project collaboration – Role, self-image and perception of the participants?
• Accept it, there will never be equal footing - the role of infrastructure.
• What a nice idea with no effect! - Go for the system

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This dissertation critically examines the mission and experiences of GlobalMatch, a social venture that aims to bridge the gap between the global North and South through online partnerships. Guided by the question: "Can unequal global power relations be overcome by joint project work of people from the global North and South?", the study explores whether and how GlobalMatch dissolves or perpetuates postcolonial relations of power.

• The limitations and critiques of the "development" paradigm in a postcolonial context.
• The role of power dynamics and inequality in international development cooperation.
• The potential and limitations of online partnerships in fostering equitable global collaboration.
• The use of auto-ethnography to explore the researcher's own positionality and its impact on the study.
• The challenges of bridging the "North-South" divide in a way that avoids perpetuating existing inequalities.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The dissertation begins with an introduction that sets the scene by discussing the concept of "development" and its postcolonial critiques. It then dives into the theoretical framework, exploring the historical and contemporary context of "development" research and practice. The chapter also provides an overview of postcolonial theory and its relevance to understanding development cooperation.

The dissertation then delves into the specific case study of GlobalMatch, exploring its mission, structure, and experiences. The chapter examines the challenges faced by GlobalMatch in navigating postcolonial power dynamics and critiques within its online partnerships.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This dissertation explores key concepts including development cooperation, postcolonialism, global North and South, power dynamics, online partnerships, auto-ethnography, and GlobalMatch. The research focuses on the critical examination of "development" practices, the role of postcolonial power structures, and the challenges of achieving equitable global collaboration.