Salvation Through Roots and Hybrids? The Governance of Humanitarian Intervention and Aid

Abstract

The ongoing conflict, political instability, and social consequences of the wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have historically been ignored by the international community. Although seemingly complex, personally observed local solutions to domestic and regional issues are currently providing examples of effective programs which could become blueprints for other communities, regions, and potentially the state. This presentation will provide an overview of the history, current situation, and actions of the United Nations (UN), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and citizenry in order to challenge perceptions surrounding the ongoing conflict. The first section provides a brief outline of the history of the DRC since independence including: political actions, UN, and external state interventions. The second section will examine the role of NGOs in the country – both theoretically and practically – in order to clarify the challenges NGOs face and how these challenges could be overcome, improving the outcome of aid offered to the people of the DRC. The third section will suggest the potential for grassroots, or “bottomup”, change based on political theory and how such change could be implemented given recent developments in the country. The fourth and final section will discuss recent developments socially and economically in the DRC using recent field research. The presentation will conclude with a critical analysis, propose some potential outcomes of UN actions, and offer recommendations given knowledge gained from academic and field research specific to the Democratic Republic of Congo.