Project overview
Principal researcher: Stephen Morse, University of Reading
Project abstract: Analysing Partnership in Aid Chains: A Catholic Church Case Study| (PDF)
Practitioner fellow: Nora McNamara|
Project outputs
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Morse, S. and McNamara, N. (2006). 'Analysing institutional partnerships in development: A contract between equals or a loaded process?' Progress in Development Studies 6(4), 321-336.
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Morse, S. and McNamara, N. (2005). 'Promoting sustainability: partnerships in the Catholic Church development chain.' Geographical Paper no. 177, Department of Geography, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
Available for download at the University of Reading website.
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Morse, S. and McNamara, N. 'Creating a greater partnership: Analyzing partnership in the Catholic Church development chain.' Submitted to Area.
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McNamara, N. (2006). Partnership Workshop Report, DRACC Abuja, 21st to 22 November 2006
McNmara, N and Morse,S (2010) A Reflective Process for Development: A Pathway to Meaningful Partnerships, Onstream Publications, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Aims and objectives of the research
To develop and test a new analytical framework for partnership by drawing on experience in the voluntary, public and private sectors.
Key research questions/hypotheses and methods
Analysis of 'aid chain' partnership has typically been in terms of power (donors assumed to have much power while field agencies have less) or in terms of functionality (does partnership ultimately improve what development is done?). This analysis will be extended by hypothesising that frameworks which explore partnership in terms of discourse (e.g. public-private partnerships of the developed world) and inter-dependence (e.g. personal relationships) could have much value.
The framework will be employed to analyse the aid chain of the Catholic Church. The research will focus on four donor organisations, CAFOD (England and Wales), MISEREOR (Germany), TROCAIRE (Ireland) and CRS (USA), and their partnerships with diocesan development groups in the Abuja Ecclesiastical Province (AEP), Nigeria. Donor and AEP personnel will be interviewed regarding their vision and practice of partnership. Officials of the national government aid agency(ies) of each country will be interviewed regarding their interaction with the Church agencies. In Nigeria interviews will be conducted with personnel of the Federal Government. A semi-structured interview will be employed (approximately 60 interviews).
Relation to the programme
This project addresses issues under the strands of 'organisation' and 'process'.
Relevance of this research to user groups
The analytical framework derived from this project will facilitate new insights into how partnerships function. Also, by applying the new framework to the Catholic Church 'aid chain' new empirical data on the functioning of partnership will be generated along with insights that can identify and help disseminate best practice both within the Church and outside.
Contact details
Stephen Morse
Department of Geography
Whiteknights
University of Reading
Reading
Berkshire RG6 6AB
Tel:. 0118 3788736
Fax: 0118 9755865
email: s.morse@reading.ac.uk|