Past

International Aid: Are We Going In To Help?

This class has passed
This class has passed

What’s it all about?

This session is about overseas aid. Why might countries like Australia have an overseas aid program and how do some countries (like Australia) absorb them them into their trade arms? Are first world countries morally obliged to provide aid to the less developed world? Does aid achieve its intentions and what are these intentions?

We’ll discuss the moral and material value of aid and examine actual micro and macro outcomes. We’ll discuss alternatives to government aid; who and what delivers aid at the sharp end and the impact of values based programs.

What will we cover?

This is a facilitated discussion about the process and practice of ‘helping’ others in the less developed world. We’ll look at what ‘helping’ achieves for the intended beneficiaries, and we’ll see what Australia and other donor countries get out of the aid business as well as review Australia’s place in the chart of giving nations.

We’ll examine the pluses and minuses of the aid and development program for local people in these nearby and far off places and ponder whether, as result of our ‘help’, people have happier and more fulfilled lives and livelihoods.

Who will be teaching?

anndavidAnn David was a development field worker for twenty years – primarily in the Pacific and former Soviet Union. She works on community development within projects for values based organisations and the for-profit sector.