English Abstract: In the early 1990s sociocultural country proximate analyses became an integral part of the "Country concepts", the new strategic management instrument of the German development cooperation. The quintessence of this approach was summarized in the question: Do the target groups...

German Abstract: Soziokulturelle Länderkurzanalysen wurden Anfang der 1990er Jahre zum festen Bestandteil der “Länderkonzepte", dem neuen zentralen Managementinstrument der deutschen Entwicklungszusammenarbeit. Die Quintessenz dieses Ansatzes wurde in der Frage zusammengefaßt: Wollen und...

Growing criticism of inefficient development aid demanded new planning instruments of donors, including international NGOs (INGOs). A reorientation from isolated project-planning towards holistic country concepts and the increasing rationality of a result-orientated planning process were seen as...

Giving priority to the socio-cultural approach in development planning would increase rather than alleviate poverty and exploitation in Third World countries. Poverty is mainly due to a lack of resources (class specific) and to unequal power relations, not to imposed western consumption...

The cumulative impact of successful and unsuccessful rural development projects in Africa since the beginning of colonial rule has been felt in some West African developing countries to such an extent that it has structured the economies and social systems of these countries. The experience of...

The number of migrants from conflict regions in Africa has been increasing dramatically. The European Union shares dual responsibility for the continuing migration pressure: First, because they fostered over decades corrupt and autocratic regimes with dire disregard to principles of ‘good...

A growing number of Africans flees from their desolate economic situation or violent conflicts and political persecution at home to Europe. The European Union shares responsibil-ity for this growing economic misery, in view of its egoistic external trade policy. Neverthe-less, it intensifies the...

English Abstract: [In the Network of Social Relationships: Potentials and Restrictions of Local Experts in Africa] - In recent years, the demands for greater consideration of local experts in technical and human resources development cooperation are intensifying. However, even the "democratic...

The belief in occult forces is still deeply rooted in many African societies, regardless of education, religion, and social class of the people concerned. According to many Africans its incidence is even increasing due to social stress and strain caused (among others) by the process of...