Spring 2011 Critical Thinking Research on Foreign Aid

Background/introductory info/history

Obama says global development is in wealthy nation's interest

"Obama Says Global Development Is in Wealthy Nation's Interest." ProQuest. Foley Library, 2010. Web. 19 Mar. 2011. <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=133&did=2144391531&SrchMode=3&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1300859506&clientId=10553&aid=2>.

This article discusses what specifically the U.S. is doing with regards to foreign aid. It contains many quotes from Obama and discusses how the system of foreign aid needs to be fixed in our country. Provides some ways to fix the problem.

"Katie Crum"

Arguments For Aid

Impact of Foreign Aid on Economic Development in Jordan

Al-Khaldi, Mwafaq Dandan. "Impact of Foreign Aid on Economic Development in Jordan(1990-2005)." Journal of Social Sciences (15493652) 4.1 (2008): 16-20. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. [1]

The article by Al-Khadi and Dandan shows somewhat of a success story of foreign aid. At least in the case of Jordan the aid was able to help the economy grow. The article does seem to miss out on the impact of the type of government that is in place and whether or not the people in the country were benefiting as well. It is nice to have this article because is opposes most articles that criticize foreign aid to middle eastern countries

Erik Jarvey

Arguments Against Aid

Why Foreign Aid and Africa Don't Mix

Calderisi, Robert. "Why Foreign Aid and Africa Don't Mix." Featured Articles from CNN. 12 Aug. 2010. Web. 21 Mar. 2011.[[2]].

Calderisi presents a number of facts and opinions on the issue of foreign aid to explain that the current system of aid is not working. He gives some relevant examples of situations in which aid worked and how we can change Africa to match these models. He believes as a possible solution introducing incentives for countries to match outside assistance with greater progress in raising local funds. This article is again fairly effective, yet lacks a solid amount of statistics to back up the argument.

Conner Ryan

Erixon, Fredrik. "BBC NEWS; Why Aid Doesn't Work." BBC News. 11 Sept. 2005. Web. 14 Mar. 2011. [[3]].

Erixon argues that the big push of developmental aid to Africa has failed and has only increased problems including poverty, dependence on aid, and corruption. He explains that a sound economy is the only way Africa can recover from its dependence on aid. It is a fairly informative article, however it provides somewhat introductory info and does not cite sources (again due to the fact its a BBC News article).

Conner Ryan

Why Foreign Aid Is Hurting Africa

Moyo, Dambira. "Why Foreign Aid Is Hurting Africa." Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition 21 Mar. 2009: W1+. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Mar. 2011. [[4]]

In this Article, Moyo argues that foreign aid is actually slowing growth, causing dependence, and prolonging a stagnant economy.She ends the essay with her solution to the problem which is to promote foreign direct investment and to issue bonds to clean up inflation. The essay provides a good number of statistics and examples to prove her point- although she doesn't cite most of her sources (which is to be expected in a brief Wall Street Journal article.

Conner Ryan

The Toll of US Foreign Aid

Eddlem, Thomas R. "The Toll of U.S. Foreign Aid." New American (08856540) 27.5 (2011): 18-22. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. [5]

This article dives into both the political unrest in the Middle East at the present time and how the United States aid in these countries has transpired. The article uses many credible sources that makes it authoritative along with providing information from a broad scope of the issue. The argument in the article is that the United States is basically supporting dictators in these countries that are in turmoil now. The article also argues that the US has enough economic problems on the home front and that the American people can’t afford to pay the aid for other countries.

Erik Jarvey

The Hypocrisy of US Foreign Aid Programs

Bovard, James. (2002, June 4). The hypocrisy of U.S. foreign aid programs. Philadelphia Tribune,p. 6A. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from Ethnic NewsWatch (ENW). (Document ID: 490850561). [6]

The article seems to be written from a very opinionated writer, who believes that the US foreign aid is misguided and abused. Although there are statistics included with the arguments no opposing view is offered. The article is good for one side of the discussion about foreign aid.

Erik Jarvey

Statistics

Foreign Aid For Development Assistance

http://www.globalissues.org/article/35/foreign-aid-development-assistance#Arenumberstheonlyissue 1. Anup, Shah. "Foreign Aid for Development Assistance — Global Issues." Global Issues : Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All — Global Issues. Web. 20 Mar. 2011.

info about why forein aid doesn't work but also how it does. headings are helpful as well as many charts and graphs

Paige Brunett

Reconsidering the Aid Relationship

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=13&sid=cd575581-7915-4731-b332-79bc06e1cfa1%40sessionmgr14&vid=6 2. Brown, William. "Reconsidering the Aid Relationship: International Relations and Social Development."Round Table 98.402 (2009): 285-299. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 20 Mar. 2011.

focus on Africa and how aid can be improved. good info about definitions and history of aid but a bit hard to follow

Paige Brunett

Foreign Aid Benefits Developing Nations

http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528su%252CNone%252C35%2529foreign%2Baid%2Bin%2Bdeveloping%2Bcountries%2524&contentSet=GSRC&sort=Relevance&tabID=T010&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&prodId=OVRC&searchId=R1&currentPosition=1&userGroupName=gonzagaufoley&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28ke%2CNone%2C35%29foreign+aid+in+developing+countries%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=EJ3010296217&docType=GSRC 3. Crosswell, Michael J. "Foreign Aid Benefits Developing Nations." Current Controversies: Developing Nations. Ed. Berna Miller and James D. Torr. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2003. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. INLAN - Gonzaga University Library. 14 Mar. 2011

very statisics-oriented, but logically points out fallacies in opposing views

Paige Brunett

Global Inequality and the Challenges of Reducing Extreme Poverty

4. Ferrante, Joan. "Global Inequality and the Challenges of Reducing Extreme Poverty. (Cover story)."Sociological Viewpoints 22.(2006): 5-19. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 20 Mar. 2011. • http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=13&sid=cd575581-7915-4731-b332-79bc06e1cfa1%40sessionmgr14&vid=4

written for students, very easy to understand. doesn't discuss aid aas much but gives good backround to global poverty

Paige Brunett

Failure of Foreign Aid

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=13&sid=cd575581-7915-4731-b332-79bc06e1cfa1%40sessionmgr14&vid=4 5. Shleifer, Andrei. "PETER BAUER AND THE FAILURE OF FOREIGN AID." CATO Journal 29.3 (2009): 379-390. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 20 Mar. 2011.

Info about an experts finding on foreign aid. sometimes hard to follow/hard to beleive but organized well and very credible

Paige Brunett

The West Can't Save Africa

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/12/AR2006021201150.html 1.Easterly, William. "The West Can't Save Africa." The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - Washingtonpost.com. 13 Feb. 2006. Web. 17 Mar. 2011.

This doesn't give much specific data on financial aid given to Africa, but it does give two good examples of Africans who are succeeding at their own businesses. This article promotes supporting entrepreneurs rather than donating traditional foreign aid.

Elizabeth Cartwright

Where Does Africa Foreign Aid Really Go: Africa or Elsewhere?

http://newliberian.com/?p=1041 Adujie, Paul I. "Where Does Africa Foreign Aid Really Go: Africa or Elsewhere?" NewLiberian.com. 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2011.

I'm not as sure on the authoritativeness of this article, but it gives substantial data on how Africa is receiving less aid than what is assumed. He makes a good counter-argument to popular belief.

Elizabeth Cartwright

Is Foreign Aid Helping or Hurting Africa

http://www.globalenvision.org/2009/04/20/foreign-aid-helping-or-hurting-africa Sharma., Manasi. "Is Foreign Aid Helping Or Hurting Africa? | Global Envision." Global Envision | The Confluence of Global Markets and Poverty Alleviation. Mercy Corps, 20 Apr. 2009. Web. 17 Mar. 2011.

This article gives a counter argument to Dambisa Moyo's opinion on "Dead Aid". The first half summarizes Moyo's point of view and the second half is an interview of a Mercy Corps representative who has a positive opinion on charity-based financial aid.

Elizabeth Cartwright

AID MUST HELP PEOPLE, NOT GOVERNMENTS

Moeletsi Mbeki. (2005, July). AID MUST HELP PEOPLE, NOT GOVERNMENTS. New Statesman, 18(866), 12-14. Retrieved March 22, 2011, from Platinum Periodicals. (Document ID: 867876411).[[7]].

Mebki argues that handing money over to the leaders who suppress development is only putting Africa in a worse position. "The real freedom Africans need is not just shows of democratic reform but real institutional reforms: property rights and the rule of law, allowing them to produce and trade freely, to save and to prosper, free of overbearing officials and institutional corruption." The more the African political elites consolidate their power and the more aid they get, the poorer Africans will become and the more African economies will regress or, at best, stagnate. It is a straightforward article with much more opinion than fact, but helpful in understanding the problem.

Conner Ryan

Heed the Hungry

Clark, Kevin. "Heed the Hungry." ProQuest. Foley Library, 2010. Web. 19 Mar. 2011. <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=13&did=263590881&SrchMode=3&sid=1&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1300859180&clientId=10553&aid=1>.

This article explains how the U.S. is providing GM food to feed starving Africans. However, much of this food is harmful to humans and the environment. Accordingly, some countries with starving populations are refusing the food because of its harmful risks.

"Katie Crum"

Focus on Africa farms; book says

Dixon, Robyn. "Focus on Africa Farms: Book Says." ProQuest. Foley Library, 2010. Web. 19 Mar. 2011. <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=5&did=2202168571&SrchMode=1&sid=8&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1300858609&clientId=10553>.

This article has a lot of good facts about agriculture in Africa. Explains how many resources are not being used because of lack of knowledge about how to cultivate the land.

"Katie Crum"