Politics and Governance of Social Assistance in Crises From the Bottom Up

Abstract

This paper reviews existing perspectives on the politics and governance of social assistance in crises from the bottom up – from sub-national regions (or states/provinces) down to districts, sub-districts, towns, and villages. It begins by examining recent literature on the politics of social protection, which is mostly based on assessment of political dynamics and relationships in settings that are peaceful and only minimally affected (or unaffected) by conflict-related violence. Key insights from political economy analysis of humanitarian assistance, alongside the ‘political marketplace’ – a more recent concept used to understand governance in fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS) – are introduced to deepen understanding of politics specifically in situations where statehood is both limited and negotiated. The second part of the paper reviews various insights into sub-national and local governance, focusing on the role of non-state actors in provisioning and distribution at the edges of state power, delivery configurations in these settings, and the rationalities of local governance and ‘real implementation’. Understanding the arrangements and dynamics of governance sub-nationally and locally is essential for designing and planning the provision of social assistance in ways that are more likely to be politically and socially acceptable while also being inclusive and delivering value for money. The conclusion draws together these various perspectives on politics and governance from the bottom up to consider the implications and questions for further research on social assistance in crises.

The Politics of Donor and Government Approaches to Social Protection and Humanitarian Policies for Assistance During Crises

“…While some literature has examined this in some FCAS -for example, Godamunne (2017), in Sri Lanka -this remains a research gap. The local-level politics of social protection are the focus of another BASIC Research thematic paper, which examines these issues in more detail (Lind 2022).…”

Strengthening Responses at the Nexus of Social Protection, Humanitarian Aid and Climate Shocks in Protracted Crises: BASIC Research Framing Paper

“…This theme draws on the working papers produced during the inception phase for BASIC Research (Lind 2022;Harvey and Mohamed 2022;Zaman et al 2022).…”

Shock-Responsive Social Protection: What is Known About What Works in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations?

“…According to the 2021 World Bank Classification of Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations (World Bank, 2021b), the BASIC Research countries identified above are described as follows: Somalia (High-Intensity Conflict); Lebanon, Iraq, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Yemen (Medium-Intensity Conflict); Lebanon (High Institutional and Social Fragility); and Jordan (unlisted).6 The ways in which politics and power dynamics influence responses are explored in more detail inLind (2021).…”