Unpacks the histories, actors and geopolitics of India's soft power and evolving engagements with Africa. Since independence India has deployed its soft power in Africa, with educational aid and capacity-building at the heart of its Africa policy. However, following economic liberalisation and in a quest for greater global influence, India's geopolitics have changed. The country's discourse on Africa has shifted from the mantras of post-colonial solidarity and South-South Cooperation, and there is now a growing sense of Indian exceptionalism, as the country reimagines its past and future against the growing influence of the political right. In this book scholars from India, Africa, Europe and North America show how India's soft power has been implemented by the diaspora, government and private sector. Research documents how India's 'aid' has been re-thought in major schemes such as e-global education and health, Gandhi statuary and Covid-19 diplomacy in Africa.

Over the last two decades the expanding role of Southern countries as development partners has led to tectonic shifts in global development ideas, practices, norms and actors. Researchers are faced with new questions around identity, power and positionality in global development. Researching South-South Development Cooperation examines this rapidly growing and complex phenomenon, asking to what extent existing assumptions, conceptual frameworks and definitions of 'development' need to be reframed in the context of researching this new landscape. This interdisciplinary book draws on voices from across the Global South and North to explore the epistemological and related methodological challenges and opportunities associated with researching South-South development cooperation, asking what these trends mean for the politics of knowledge production. Chapters are interspersed with shorter vignettes, which aim to share examples from first-hand participation in and observation of South-South development cooperation initiatives. This book will be of interest to anyone conducting research on development in the Global South, whether they are a practitioner or policy maker, or a student or researcher in politics, international development, area studies, or international relations.

Over the last two decades the expanding role of Southern countries as development partners has led to tectonic shifts in global development ideas, practices, norms and actors. Researchers are faced with new questions around identity, power and positionality in global development. Researching South-South Development Cooperation examines this rapidly growing and complex phenomenon, asking to what extent existing assumptions, conceptual frameworks and definitions of 'development' need to be reframed in the context of researching this new landscape. This interdisciplinary book draws on voices from across the Global South and North to explore the epistemological and related methodological challenges and opportunities associated with researching South-South development cooperation, asking what these trends mean for the politics of knowledge production. Chapters are interspersed with shorter vignettes, which aim to share examples from first-hand participation in and observation of South-South development cooperation initiatives. This book will be of interest to anyone conducting research on development in the Global South, whether they are a practitioner or policy maker, or a student or researcher in politics, international development, area studies, or international relations.

Major changes are taking place in the global economy and polity. While China's relationship to Africa is much examined, knowledge and analysis of India's role in Africa has until now been limited but, as a significant global player, India's growing interactions with various African countries call for detailed analysis of the Asian giant's influence and its relations with the African continent. In this original book, which enables readers to compare India to China and other 'rising powers' in Africa, expert African, Indian and western commentators draw on a collection of accessibly written case studies to explore inter-related areas including trade, investment, development aid, civil society relations, security and geopolitics.

Foreign aid has seen enormous changes in the last decade. In the early millennium, it appeared that donor nations might succeed in combating partisan interests, and commit to a new era of coordinated policies and practices. However, the last few years have witnessed a number of challenges to this model: the problematic intrusion of security agendas; inherent difficulties in harmonization and alignment; and difficulties in securing promised finances after the financial crises. One of the key challenges arises from the growing proliferation of donors, with the growing flow of development funds that are by-passing the official agencies and being directed through NGOs, foundations, private organizations, and remittances.
While reviewing all of these issues, this book focuses on one of the biggest challenges, the growth of so-called "New development donors," such as Brazil, China, Hungary, Korea, India, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Venezuela, and the United Arab Emirates. Some of these countries are relative newcomers to formal development assistance, while others have been active for decades. Their increasing visibility has been driven by: the rapidly expanding scale and scope of China's development assistance around the world; scrutiny of Islamic aid following 9/11; and EU debates over development policy alignment following the EU-15 accession in 2004.
Are the growth of these new development donors a positive or negative thing for development? From Recipients to Donors weighs the positive and negative effects before concentrating on the new donors direct "development cooperation" policies and practices. Drawing on the author's rich original empirical research, while expertly condensing existing published and unpublished material, this is an essential and unique critical analysis and review for anyone with an academic or professional interest in development, aid, and international relations.

Foreign aid has seen enormous changes in the last decade. In the early millennium, it appeared that donor nations might succeed in combating partisan interests, and commit to a new era of coordinated policies and practices. However, the last few years have witnessed a number of challenges to this model: the problematic intrusion of security agendas; inherent difficulties in harmonization and alignment; and difficulties in securing promised finances after the financial crises. One of the key challenges arises from the growing proliferation of donors, with the growing flow of development funds that are by-passing the official agencies and being directed through NGOs, foundations, private organizations, and remittances.
While reviewing all of these issues, this book focuses on one of the biggest challenges, the growth of so-called "New development donors," such as Brazil, China, Hungary, Korea, India, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Venezuela, and the United Arab Emirates. Some of these countries are relative newcomers to formal development assistance, while others have been active for decades. Their increasing visibility has been driven by: the rapidly expanding scale and scope of China's development assistance around the world; scrutiny of Islamic aid following 9/11; and EU debates over development policy alignment following the EU-15 accession in 2004.
Are the growth of these new development donors a positive or negative thing for development? From Recipients to Donors weighs the positive and negative effects before concentrating on the new donors direct "development cooperation" policies and practices. Drawing on the author's rich original empirical research, while expertly condensing existing published and unpublished material, this is an essential and unique critical analysis and review for anyone with an academic or professional interest in development, aid, and international relations.