Global norms and heterogeneous development organizations

Abstract

Contemporary development cooperation is characterized by an increasing tension between a growing diversity of actors and significant attempts at homogenizing development practices through global norms prescribing 'good development'. This special issue shows empirically how diverse development organizations engage with global norms on gender equality. To understand this diversity of norm-engagement conceptually, this introductory article proposes four explanatory dimensions: (i) organizational history, culture and structures; (ii) actor strategies, emotions and relationships; (iii) organizational pressures and priorities; and (iv) the normativeenvironment and stakeholders. We argue that, while development organizations cannot avoid addressing global norms regarding gender equality, they do so in considerably divergent ways. However, the differences are explained less by whether these organizations constitute 'new' or 'old' donors than by the four identified dimensions.

‘Doing gender’: impacts of local meaning making on gender mainstreaming in agricultural and climate change policy in Uganda

“…The apparent adherence of local actors in this study to global discourses on gender equality supports previous research portraying "the local" and "the global" as being in constant interaction (Anderl, 2016;Maags & Trifu, 2019) and describing a strong influence of "the global" on gender discussions in development contexts (Cold-Ravnkilde et al, 2018). Advancing knowledge of this local-global interaction in Uganda, our findings identify the use of a largely depoliticized global discourse on gender equality, allowing local policy actors to adopt global discourses with very limited implications for local gender relations.…”

“…International norms involve establishing collective expectations and standards, which inherently imply the creation of shared understandings and meanings as to what is considered legitimate, feasible, and appropriate to attain pre-determined goals (Altinay, 2013;Cold-Ravnkilde et al, 2018). Within the realm of women's rights, international norms prescribe what is considered to be "adequate policy" and "adequate development" to advance the status of women globally.…”

Is the influence of neoliberalism on development norms waning? Evidence from the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

“…There is a burgeoning literature (Acharya, 2004;Ansari et al, 2010;David-Barrett & Okamura, 2016;Finnemore, 1996;Finnemore & Sikkink, 1998;Kelley, 2017;Kelley & Simmons, 2019;Risse et al, 1999Risse et al, , 2013 on the role of international norms in producing political change in individual countries, and while some authors emphasize how such norms diffuse around the globe, others note that they are translated in different ways in different contexts. Few argue, however, that international norms are unimportant-they are typically accepted, modified | 685 ENGBERG-PEDERSEN or actively rejected (Cold-Ravnkilde et al, 2018). Actors have to take them into account, irrespective of whether they agree with them.…”

Examining the promise of ‘the local’ for improving gender equality in agriculture and climate change adaptation

“…Within gender and development discourses, global strategies for gender equality, such as gender mainstreaming, are often perceived as high-level policy constructions being enforced in different contexts without much consideration of contextual particularities (Brouwers 2013;Spivak 1996;Ün 2019). Bridging the gap between local normative stances, where gender inequality is often naturalised, and global norms for gender equality is especially important in contexts like Uganda, characterised by frequent conflict between multiple normative environments where gender equality and gender relations are constructed (eg customary practices of inheritance vs. formal regulatory frameworks and global gender policy) (Acosta et al 2019b(Acosta et al , 2019a.…”

“…However, in international development, transnational and top-down approaches to gender equality have often failed to capitalise on locally formulated and prioritised gender strategies (Brouwers 2013). This is problematic because the institutions and people implementing gender-equality strategies at national and sub-national levels are also gendered entities operating within certain normative and cultural environments, which inevitably affects implementation (Alston 2014;Walby 2005).…”