Friends or foes? Cordaid, ICCO, Oxfam Novib and Hivos and critical actors within Dutch society, 1965-present

Abstract

This thesis focuses on four Dutch non-governmental, partly state-funded, development organisations (MFOs) and the effects of criticism from actors within Dutch civil society on these organisations. The four organisations examined are Cordaid, ICCO, Oxfam Novib and Hivos; the actors within Dutch civil society comprise supporters (participants, donors and volunteers), journalists, scientists and the Dutch public in general; and the period examined is the period between 1965 and the present. The main aim of this thesis is to demonstrate that the influence of actors within Dutch civil society has been larger than most authors in previous done research studies indicate. This thesis is a comparative historical work. Therefore much attention is paid to making comparisons and drawing conclusions from these comparisons.