Atkinson J and Scurrah M. 2009. Globalizing social justice. The role of non-governmental organizations in bringing social change. (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, ISBN 978-0-230-22113-0, pp. 252)

✍ Scribed by Tarmo Pikner

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 38 KB
• Volume: 23
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0954-1748
• DOI: 10.1002/jid.1696

✦ Synopsis

22113-0, US$85.00 (h/b), pp. 252) Environmental issues and trade inequalities do not recognise limits of national borders. Various civil society organisations are active in bringing about change by addressing poverty, human rights and environmental degradation in economic globalisation. This book uses a practice oriented case study approach to analyse the role of civil society and non-governmental organisations (NGO) in international development. The case studies address issues of legitimacy and accountability, as well as internal democracy, participation and responsibility within civil society advocacy networks. The studies focus on some particular campaigns that advocate global fair trade issues and consider the impact of extractive industries in some South Asia and Latin American countries. All the detailed case studies in the book are initiated and coordinated by the international NGO Oxfam, which has 13 affiliated organisations working in over 100 countries and involving more than 3000 local organisations.

As well as the particular case studies, the book discusses the general role and practices of civil society in helping the underdeveloped South. NGOs vary enormously from small groups of a few dedicated individuals working in their local area to large organisations like the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. International NGOs have remarkable funding from countries of North and address people's basic needs and human rights through various projects. They have traditionally provided emergency food, water, health care and other assistance to the victims of earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural and man-made disasters. However, as Atkinson and Scurrah mention, such development and humanitarian relief work by itself was never going to bring about lasting improvements if the structures that create and perpetuate poverty and injustice are not also tackled. They provide examples of international campaigns that have depended greatly on media publicity and rapid communication in recent decades, like civil activism about artificial baby food, landmines and the oppressive debts of Southern countries. In such campaigns that use tactics for persuasion and public pressure, wide network relationships are very important. For the members in the South the network provides information, leverage and access to global institutions and funding. For those in the North the linkages with Southern members provide credibility and a mandate to act on behalf of particular groups of people and parts of the world. The book makes visible Oxfam's extensive international networks and discusses their practices and challenges within particular contexts.

The case studies in the book analyse Oxfam sub-campaign tactics (which were partly involved in campaign 'Make Trade Fair') on the following issues: garment workers in Sri Lanka; trade and agriculture in India; natural gas project in Peru, jobs and health in Peru. It means that readers of the book can find more specific topics of civil society activism according to their interests. A similar structure is used through all case studies to discuss organisational structures, actions, results, some failures, legitimacy, participation and role of international NGO. The authors seem to have personal engagement in some of the cases described and this makes case studies well informed and rather detailed. I found especially interesting the civil society activism on the garment trade. This activism made visible influences of brand-name companies in decreasing remarkably manufactory workers' wages and human rights. Besides campaigning, there were established organisational networks to achieve long-term influence on inequality in international garment trade. Aspects of the fair garment trade became associated with the precarious work of women in industry and also with sportswear