The AidSpeak Dictionary
This is a sampling of actual posts on Twitter that I requested (@bill_easterly) last weekend for “decodings of aid/development jargon” . Inspiration was from 40 Publishing Buzzwords, Clichés and Euphemisms Decoded. I don’t necessarily endorse any implied viewpoint, if any.
“beneficiaries” : the people who make it possible for us to be paid by other people -@monanicoara
“bottom-up” : don’t ask someone what might work, just make something up instead -@thejoeturner
“baseline” : a point which is so low that positive results are the only possible outcome – @ANLevine
“accountability for results” – we keep all our promises by issuing new promises - @bill_easterly
“bottoms-up development”: downing single-malt whiskey in one shot at Davos - @Arvind11d123
“civil society involvement”: consulting the middle class employee of aUS or European NGO -@dangay
“community capacity building” : teach them what they already know -@fauvevivre
“demand-driven approach” – you create the demand and then you respond to it -
“empowerment” : what is left when all the quantifiable variables give non significant results -@MarianaSarastiM
“entrepreneurial” : vaguely innovative and cool, but definitely nothing to do with the hated “market” – @jselanikio
“experienced aid practitioner” : has large number of air miles in account - @thejoeturner
“expert” : I read a book about the place on the plane -@savo_heleta
“field experience” : I can’t bear DC anymore -@MarianaSarastiM
“gender” : counting how many women attend your meeting -@liamswiss
“Global North” : White academics; “Global South” : Indian academics -@Isla_Misty
“innovation” : we’re sexy, you want to be associated with us -@DarajaTz
“leverage” : we’re not paying for all of this -@katelmax
“low overhead” : volunteers run headquarters -@thejoeturner
“low-hanging fruit”: we were already going to achieve this anyway - @Global_ErinH
“mainstreaming” : forgetting - @swampcottage
“microfinance” : not as good as sub-prime lending - @lippytak
“meetings” : our grant said we had to host an event – @Global_ErinH
“per diem”: what we have to pay local officials to attend our meetings – @Afrophile
“participatory stakeholders” : people who should solve their own problems –@UCGHR
“participation” : the right to agree with preconceived projects or programs -@edwardrcarr
“partnering with other institutions” : we’re raising barriers to entry – @JustinWolfers
“political will” : I have no comprehension of the incentives faced by the people who I wish would do stuff I want @m_clem
“practical solutions” : photogenic solutions -@thejoeturner
“pro-poor” : the rich know best -@james_tooley
“RCT” : research method yielding same results as qualitative work at 10 times the cost –@texasinafrica
“rent-seaking behavior” : everything not nailed to the floor will be stolen- @charcoalproject
“outreach” : intrude -@langtry_girl
“ownership” : we held a workshop -@dangay
“raise awareness” : no measurable outcome -@jonathan_welle
“scale-up” : It’s time for follow on grant -@HunterHustus
“sensitize” : tell people what to do -@zw1tscher
“sustainable” : will last at least as long as the funding -@thejoeturner
“tackling root causes of poverty” : repackaging what we’ve already done in a slightly more sexy font -@thejoeturner
“UN Goals”: making up targets for problems we don’t understand paid for with money we don’t have – @jacobhorner
Notes: I have done some very minor editing for spelling and clarity.
Oh dear, looks like I’m far more cynical than everyone else. apologies.
Check out “Deconstructing Development Discourse: Buzzwords and Fuzzwords,” edited by Andrea Cornwall and Deborah Eade (2010) Published by Practical Action Publishing in association with Oxfam GB.
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/downloads/bk-deconstructing-development-buzzwords-010910-en.pdf
Great list! It’s so important “aid professionals” have a sense of self-deprecating humor.
Great one Ashu. Everyone in the Developing World would enjoy this for sure.
This is my little contribution:
Dictionary: the only place where words continue being virgins.
Dictionary: the only place where words continue being virgins.