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Past Event
Seminar

“Winning or losing hearts and minds? Examining the effectiveness of aid in promoting stability in Afghanistan”

Open to the Public

Carr Center Associate Fellow Andrew Wilder leads:

"Aid and Stability - Is there any proof of that one leads to another?"

 

There is a widely held assumption in military and foreign policy circles that development assistance is an important "soft power" tool to promote stabilization and security objectives in fragile states. Counterinsurgency doctrine in particular emphasizes the importance of reconstruction assistance in "winning hearts and minds" of civilian populations and in promoting stabilization. Given how widespread the assumption is, and given its major impact on aid and counterinsurgency policies, there is to date remarkably little empirical evidence that supports the assumption.

While considerable time, effort and resources have been devoted to assessing the effectiveness of aid in achieving humanitarian and development objectives, surprisingly few resources have been devoted to assessing the effectiveness of aid in achieving stabilization and security objectives.

Andrew Wilder will be presenting preliminary findings from the first year of a research project in Afghanistan that is trying to better understand the effectiveness of aid as a counterinsurgency "weapon."

Date: Time: - Location: Room 219

About

Carr Center Associate Fellow Andrew Wilder leads:

"Aid and Stability - Is there any proof of that one leads to another?"

 

There is a widely held assumption in military and foreign policy circles that development assistance is an important "soft power" tool to promote stabilization and security objectives in fragile states. Counterinsurgency doctrine in particular emphasizes the importance of reconstruction assistance in "winning hearts and minds" of civilian populations and in promoting stabilization. Given how widespread the assumption is, and given its major impact on aid and counterinsurgency policies, there is to date remarkably little empirical evidence that supports the assumption.

While considerable time, effort and resources have been devoted to assessing the effectiveness of aid in achieving humanitarian and development objectives, surprisingly few resources have been devoted to assessing the effectiveness of aid in achieving stabilization and security objectives.

Andrew Wilder will be presenting preliminary findings from the first year of a research project in Afghanistan that is trying to better understand the effectiveness of aid as a counterinsurgency "weapon."