Future Positive: International Co-Operation in the 21st Century - Softcover

Edwards, Michael

3.64

14 ratings by Goodreads

9781853837401: Future Positive: International Co-Operation in the 21st Century

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1853837407 ISBN 13: 9781853837401

Publisher: Earthscan, 2001

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Can we abolish global poverty? Should we do away with foreign aid? Is the United Nations redundant? Why should I bother? Can I help?

Mike Edwards offers timely answers to issues that have been propelled to center stage. "Future Positive" is a comprehensive and authoritative rethink of an international system facing a period of unprecedented change. In a world of globalizing markets, eroding state sovereignty, expanding citizen action and uncertainty about fundamental truths, what is the best way to tackle problems of global poverty and violence?

Michael Edwards charts a "third way" between heavy-handed intervention and complete laissez-faire. Covering an enormous amount of ground in clear, lively and non-technical terms, "Future Positive" explains how the international system operates, the pressures it faces, and the changes it must undergo, and offers concrete new ideas to re-frame international relations and foreign aid.

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From the Publisher:

Customer Comments Average Customer Rating: ***** Number of Reviews: 2 steve@crossculturalsolutions.org from New York , 29 May, 2000 Future Positive: A reason for Amazon to add a sixth star! Future Positive does an outstanding job of summarizing the state of international development today, what brought us to this point, and a concrete roadmap for positive change in the future.

The author, Michael Edwards, hits the nail on the head again and again with insightful analysis of past events and creative, yet firmly rooted, stategies for the future.

I urge anyone that is interesting in the future of our world to read this book.

It is what I call "International Development 101" for those seeking to understand the field. For those working in the field of International Development this is a must read. I have made it required reading at our organization for all staff members and for every volunteer that goes to the field with our program.

Steven Rosenthal, Executive Director, Cross-Cultural Solutions --This text refers to the paperback edition of this title

A reader from London , 15 April, 2000 ***** An inspiring but practical guide to managing globalisation Most books on globalisation and international relations are too dense to wade through, or too biased either for or against markets, trade and corporations. This one is different, since it is written like a conversation with the reader, and manages to be fair to all sides in the debate while still being tough in terms of its prescriptions and recommendations. The first part of the book is a very strong critique of the international system over the last 50 years - the failures of foreign aid, humanitarian intervention, international institutions and NGOs. The second part of the book is more uplifting, offering concrete suggestions on reforming the aid donors, 'humanising capitalism', generating new institutions for global governance, and building constituencies for internationalism and co-operative living in the West. It also has a moving Conclusion which summarises an incredible amount of information and personalises the whole story in a way that made me want to run out and joi! n my nearest Oxfam shop! Edwards is a good writer, and knows his field from back to front. Highly recommended.

About the Author:

Michael Edwards is Director of the Ford Foundation's Governance and Civil Society Unit in New York. Before joining Ford he was the World Bank's Senior Civil Society Specialist in Washington, DC, having previously lived and worked in Africa, Asia and Latin America for Oxfam, Save the Children, and other NGOs

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