A Solidarity Model of Foreign Aid? : A case study of the Olof Palme International Center’s projects in South Africa

Abstract: This bachelor thesis is a qualitative case study of whether the Olof Palme International Center’s (OPC) model of foreign aid, as a Swedish non-governmental organisation (NGO), is understood by leading figures of the three types of participants involved in the model; the OPC, Swedish member organisations, and, in this case, South African partner organisations, as taking either a solidarity- or charity-approach to foreign aid, in both theory and practise. The theories of Mutual Aid and International Solidarity are used to construct two opposing “solidarity” and “charity” models of foreign aid, against which the OPC model is compared. These two approaches are selected as they are most often associated with NGO foreign aid providers. The criticisms of, and suggestions for improvements to foreign aid practises are collected from aid experts and leading scholars in the field, such as Pearson (1970), the OECD/DAC, and the UN. These suggestions and criticisms are compared against both models and sorted accordingly as indicators in the analytical framework, whereby a preference among aid scholars and experts for the solidarity model is revealed. Empirical data is collected through semi-structured interviews with the involved parties and analysed through qualitative content analysis. By analysing which of the indicators in the analytical framework, belonging to the “solidarity-model” or “charity-model” were affirmed by a majority of the interviewees, it was found that both the OPC’s model and the way it is implemented, is understood by all involved parties as a solidarity model.