Rhetoric and Reality in the World Bank’s Relations with NGOs: an Indonesian Case Study

Abstract

The World Bank is one of the most powerful institutions in the world. And it is charged with some of the world’s most important goals, at least in rhetoric. The World Bank’s mission is “A World Free of Poverty”. World Bank rhetoric now sees the institution embrace such goals as ‘poverty alleviation’, ‘environmental sustainability’, ‘gendermainstreaming’, ‘good governance’, and ‘partnerships for development’. These claims demand critical analysis so that the reality of the Bank’s agenda and work can be deciphered from its rhetoric. To that end, this research critically examines the World Bank’s rhetoric and strategies for engaging NGOs in what it describes as a ‘partnership for development'. ¶ ...