Power relationships and the formulation of anti-poverty policies in emerging countries: the case of Palestine

^†An earlier version of this paper received the Outstanding Student Paper at the 2012 Society for the Study of Social Problems annual conference in the Sociology and Social Welfare Division.

Abstract

The process for developing social policies in the Palestinian Territories has undergone several changes in recent years. Most recently, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) formally adopted the partnership approach whereby policies are developed with participation by the civil society sector and international donor organizations. However, it is unclear whether these partnerships have been realized as little is known about the power relationships between PNA and these other parties. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 Palestinian ministry officials and a review of archival materials. The findings confirmed that Palestinian agencies, civil sector organizations, and international donor organizations are now helping formulate anti-poverty policies. However, the partnerships are far from balanced or equal. Due to strained relationships with the PNA characterized by tension, conflict, and competition, the influence of the civil society sector remains modest. Conversely, international donor organizations continue to exert extraordinary influence on the policy-making process through financial and technical assistance. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.

Keywords:

• Palestinian Authority
• civil society sector
• international donor organizations
• partnerships
• social policy
• anti-poverty

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the staff members of the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Planning in Palestine who facilitated the process of collecting the data for this project. The authors are grateful to the participants for sharing their time, knowledge, and experience.

Funding

The authors are also grateful for financial support from the Palestinian Faculty Development Program, including the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Open Society Institute, and AMIDEAST.

Notes on contributors

Najwa Sado Safadi, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at Al-Quds University. She received her Ph.D. in social work from Boston College in 2012. She earned her Master in Social Work with a major in community organization from McGill University in Canada. Her research interests are poverty and social policy with an emphasis on anti-poverty policies, international aid, government performance, civic engagement, and social welfare, in the Global South countries. Additionally, she has several years of experience in teaching and social work practice in Jerusalem. Her research has appeared in a number of peer-reviewed journals.

Scott D. Easton, Ph.D., ACSW, LMSW, is an assistant professor in the Department of Health and Mental Health at the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Government from Harvard University and his Master of Social Work and Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Iowa. He has published several papers in peer-reviewed journals, primarily on topics related to mental health, aging, trauma recovery (sexual abuse), and Middle East policy-making. He has received funding from the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Center on Aging at Boston College. He also received a Rockefeller Graduate Fellowship for one year of study and service in the Palestinian Territories and Israel.

James Lubben, DSW, MPH, is the inaugural holder the Louise McMahon Ahearn University Chair at Boston College in the Graduate School of Social Work where he also serves as Director of the Doctoral Program. Dr. Lubben is also Professor Emeritus at UCLA where he taught for 20 years and was Associate Dean and Chair of the Department of Social Welfare. He is the Founding Director of the Hartford Doctoral Fellows Program in Geriatric Social Work, which is funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation and administered by the Gerontological Society of America. He also serves on the National Program Advisory Board for the Hartford Faculty Scholars Program, and has served four terms on the Congressionally mandated National Advisory Committee on Gerontology and Geriatrics for the US Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a leading scholar in gerontology and social work and has served as a principal investigator or collaborator on over $25 million (direct costs) of research and training grants.

Notes

^† An earlier version of this paper received the Outstanding Student Paper at the 2012 Society for the Study of Social Problems annual conference in the Sociology and Social Welfare Division.