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Navigation, Circumvention and Brokerage: The Tricks of the Trade of Developing NGOs in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2017

Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr*
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Norway and Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. Email: hans.gasemyr@uib.no.

Abstract

Chinese NGOs face strong coercive pressures and limitations yet have still emerged as notable actors in several issue areas. This article studies why and explains how a group of NGOs working on AIDS-related issues have been able to progress into relatively large and vibrant operations. It documents how NGO leaders have learned to navigate opportunities and risks, circumvent formal restrictions and broker pragmatic and largely informal arrangements that have enabled their organizations to grow and advance within China's authoritarian settings. The article contributes to the literature on Chinese NGO development and new institutionalism theory, and introduces a framework for studying NGOs based on their organizational forms and activities.

摘要

中国的非政府组织面临着强大的管控压力和限制, 但它们在一些领域仍然承担着重要角色。本文研究并解释了为什么一些参与艾滋病项目的非政府组织能够取得相对快速的发展并充满活力。研究阐释了在中国威权主义的背景下, 非政府组织领导者如何学会通过辨别机会和风险、规避正式限制, 并设法以务实的且主要是非正式的安排使他们的组织取得进步和发展。本研究不仅有助于丰富对中国非政府组织发展的研究和新制度主义理论, 而且建立了一个基于组织形式和活动研究非政府组织的研究框架。

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © SOAS University of London 2017 

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