Book report

For my book report I chose to read the book Aid on the Edge of Chaos. This book provides a compelling look at the faults in the aid system much like other books and articles that we have read. The book was written by Ben Ramalingam. Ramalingam has a long history in aid work including being part of an organization that is geared around testing aid organizations effectiveness, learning and, performance (Institute of Development Studies, 2019). He has written a number of pieces about how aid work can improve and even believes that aiming on improving the healthcare in poor countries will not fix global inequality (Ramalingam, 2016). This viewpoint that he takes, that there is no one direct action that will improve the aid system, is the basis of his book, Aid on the Edge of Chaos.

The book really highlights how globalization has played a factor in the lack of solutions within the world of aid. In a world of globalization everything is connected and interwoven meaning that we can’t just fix one thing and expect the whole system to follow suit. There are so many players, both NGO and government aid, that already within themselves are unorganized so trying to change something across the whole industry would be near impossible. The book directly ties to what this course is all about: how to be a global citizen in the world of, for lack of a better word, imposters. Throughout this class we have talked about the success and pitfalls of humanitarian aid. We constantly ask questions in the class about how to fix the various problems in the field and rarely, if ever, do we actually come up with an answer. That is what Ramalingam’s book is all about. He presents the issues that are within the aid industry. He presents various possible solutions but none of them fix every single problem. This shows that even people within the industry, people that literally study it for a living, can’t even come to a concrete solution or set of solutions to fix the problems within aid work.

This book presents a lot of information occasionally in a language that is hard to understand. Luckily, with a sociological background one can decipher the language in the text. Ramalingam talks about how theories about societal organization are imperative to understand when approaching a problem like fixing aid (231). He talks about being able to recognize simple versus complex organizational problems. Our world is progressing a rate that is far faster than what our society is able to keep up with. In the past, we have been able to, relatively, define society into organic and mechanical solidarity. These concepts help distinguish and describe relationships if they are based on common values and beliefs or based on the services people can provide for each other. Today, these lines are not as distinct as they once were. The lines between common values and beliefs and the services one can provide as all comingled with each other to the point where it is hard to distinguish what is tying society together on a level deeper than capitalism. Getting at the deeper root as to why people are providing this aid work, and even why there is corruption, could be the first step to reworking the system for the better. There are small pockets within the aid industry that are finding solutions. On pages 331 to 338, Ramalingam illustrates how in Niger a simple solution is what fixed a seemingly unfixable problem. This goes to show that sometimes within sociology we are so wrapped up in finding a theory to explain a problem that we miss a potential solution right in front of our faces. Ramalingam goes on to explain how, when looking for even the simplest of solutions, we have to look at social, political, and environmental factors. If we just look at the cleanliness of a city as it relates to a influenza outbreak but not at the political set up that lacks the infrastructure for a sanitation department then we are missing a huge piece of the puzzle.

These compelling points that were made all throughout the book have deepened my understanding of the aid sector, the problems with it, and why there is no one cookie cutter solution for all of it. The world is growing in its’ complexity; globalization, military ties, and political gain all play a factor in this complexity. Our world is so intricately tied together that we can’t just look at one party for the solution or as the source of all the problems because there are so many players involved with it. It is crazy to think about how many nations and small players are out there going unchecked in their aid work. Be it for capital gain, political alliances, or strategic military moves the sectors has a lot of work to do before it with ever be where it needs to be. My biggest takeaway from this book was that though there are many problems that seemingly have no solution that does not mean we should stop searching for an answer. This sector can get exhausting but we should never become complacent with the way things are, that simply won’t do. I hope to carry this knowledge into my future be it in the sector or not.

Discussion questions:

What do you think is the biggest problem facing humanitarian aid work today?

What different factors play a role in the disconnectedness of aid work?

If a large organization to check the effectiveness of all organizations feasible or will it ever be?

At its current state is aid work doing more harm than good?

References

Ben Ramalingam. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ids.ac.uk/people/ben-ramalingam/

Britannica, T. E. (2010, February 09). Mechanical and organic solidarity. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/mechanical-and-organic-solidarity

Ramalingam, B. (2015). Aid on the edge of chaos: Rethinking international cooperation in a

complex world. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ramalingam, B. (2016, October 09). Healthcare innovations won’t cure global health inequality– political action will | Ben Ramalingam. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/oct/09/healthcare-innovations-wont-cure-global-health-inequality-political-action-will-world-health-summit-berlin