Globalisation and Development Cooperation
Mundo Crítico n.º 6: Espaço cívico: expressões de liberdade e criatividade
Abstract:
Civic space is one of the central pillars of democracies. The level of freedom with which citizens organize, participate, and intervene in society is a key indicator of the quality of civic space and democracy. In recent years, we have witnessed a progressive shrinking of civic space on a global scale. This has taken explicit forms, such as criminalizing the work of NGOs, persecuting activists, reducing channels of dialogue with state structures, or undermining public trust in NGOs. More subtle measures, like funding restrictions, have also played a role. The pandemic has exacerbated this trend, and in many parts of the world, under the pretext of protecting public health, civic space has faced significant setbacks.
In light of these developments, this edition of Mundo Crítico brings together reflections on the challenges facing the various spheres of civic space, exploring its multiple dimensions and how NGOs and other groups strive to overcome obstacles and expand their reach. The issue opens with a conversation between human rights professor Antoine Buyse and Mozambican activist Zenaida Machado about the challenges and potential of civic space.
The “Knowledge and Circumstances section” begins with an analysis by Marianna Belalba Barreto from the civil society alliance CIVICUS on the degree of openness in civic space. It is followed by an assessment of the experience of the Arab Spring through the perspective of someone who lived through Tahrir Square in Egypt 10 years ago, and an article by Mário Rui Marçal on Mosaiko’s contributions to building civic space in Angola. Another perspective on Angola is offered by journalist Domingos da Cruz, who addresses press freedom, and Miguel de Barros and Redy Wilson explore new expressions of citizenship in Praia and Bissau. Closing the dossier, journalist João Pedro Pereira warns of the “new dictators” of technology, and Paulo Illes and Patricia Gainza share insights from the World Social Forum on Migrations.
In “Ways of Seeing”, we are guided by Mohamed Keita to Mali, where, together with a group of young people, he has been photographing daily life as a starting point for education and cultural growth. The “Narratives” section includes stories by Livia Apa, about a Nigerian women’s theater group in Rome, and Paulo Daio, who reflects on the experience of the Kwame Sousa School in São Tomé and Príncipe.
In the “Innovations” section, writer Ondjaki highlights initiatives promoting reading in Luanda, and Eddie Avila discusses a project focused on reframing narratives. “Illustrator” José Smith Vargas occupies the pages of “Ecos Gráficos” in this edition, which concludes, as always, with the “Escaparate” section offering further reading suggestions.
Cite this Journal:
ACEP & CEsA (2021). “Espaço cívico: expressões de liberdade e criatividade”. ISEG/CEsA – Centro de Estudos sobre África e Desenvolvimento. Revista Mundo Crítico nº 6 (Out 2021). ISSN 2184-1926.
Mundo Crítico n.º 5: Falar de desigualdades, falar de injustiças
Abstract:
Is there no development without reducing inequalities? Or does worsening inequality not matter as long as poverty decreases and the majority’s situation improves? How do the various dimensions of inequality interconnect and reinforce one another? Do those involved in international cooperation have the legitimacy to intervene in such a fundamentally political domain, and how should they do so?
These were some of the questions that guided the creation of this edition of Mundo Crítico – Journal of Development and Cooperation, which, during its editorial selection process, was overtaken by the current pandemic crisis. COVID-19 has made it even more urgent to address inequalities — now more visible both within and between countries — forcing a reevaluation of key questions to answer the pressing inquiry: what now?
This edition begins with an “imperfect conversation” between Mozambican sociologist Elísio Macamo and Portuguese economist Rogério Roque Amaro, who both agree that inequality is fundamentally an issue of injustice. In the deeper reflection section, “Knowledge and Circumstances”, contributions include an analysis by Pedro Conceição, director of the Human Development Report Office at UNDP, and Pol Morillas, director of the Catalan think tank CIDOB, offering insights on current times and what lies ahead. Philosopher Viriato Soromenho-Marques explores the connection between the “environmental wreckage” and inequalities, while Brazilian researcher Luana Pinheiro discusses gender inequalities in the context of the pandemic. The dossier also features an analysis by sociologist Renato Miguel do Carmo on the labor market as an “inequality maker” and by researcher Daniel Roedel on development dependency. The section concludes with a piece by researcher Iolanda Évora on Afrodescendence and Europe in the 21st century.
The “Ways of Seeing” section focuses on People, through photographs by Adriano Miranda and Paulo Pimenta, documenting the profound asymmetries within a European country. In the “Narratives” section, journalist António Rodrigues delves into Hinacenda and the Herero people of Angola, Vanessa Rodrigues discusses the Mafalala Museum, and Vasco Veloso shares reflections as an international cooperation consultant.
In the “Innovations” section, the African Innovation Summit is introduced by one of its mentors, Cape Verdean economist José Brito, and Carlos Sangreman shares the experience of the Observatory of Rights in Guinea-Bissau. In “Ecos Gráficos”, illustrator Inês Cóias addresses the theme of rampant greed in The Little Entrepreneur. Finally, the “Escaparate” section offers additional reading suggestions on this topic.
Cite this Journal:
ACEP & CEsA (2020). “Falar de desigualdades, falar de injustiças”. ISEG/CEsA – Centro de Estudos sobre África e Desenvolvimento. Revista Mundo Crítico nº 5 (Out 2020). ISSN 2184-1926.
Mundo Crítico n.º 4: Jornalismo e comunicação na aprendizagem do mundo
Abstract:
How are Development issues represented in national and international media? What image — or images — of Africa are conveyed by the media? How can we avoid the “single story” about specific geographies and communities? What is the responsibility of the media, including new media and social networks, in the rise of populism in Europe and the USA and the spread of hate speech? And how can the relevance of development cooperation themes be promoted in traditional media as positive constructions of a shared future?
In this edition, Mundo Crítico – Journal of Development and Cooperation seeks to provide a space for reflection on the relationship between media, journalism, communication, and development, questioning whether there is a “journalism for development” and what contribution media and development cooperation can make to the necessary “learning of the world,” as described by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire.
We invited journalist Cândida Pinto and Mozambican anthropologist Euclides Gonçalves for an “imperfect conversation” about the current challenges facing journalism, the images produced about the African continent, and how development issues are (re)presented in Portuguese media. The “Knowledge and Circumstances” dossier features a collection of texts exploring the contribution of journalism to social change, journalism for development as a “bastard child,” the labyrinths of communication, and the role of communication for development. The section also includes reflections on media-sponsored journalist trips, the role of literature in “unsettling” narratives, and how refugees and migrants have been portrayed in European media, among other topics.
The “Ways of Seeing” section showcases the photographic perspective of writer Afonso Cruz on Iraq and Kuwait, and in the “Narratives” section, he shares the story of a street that serves as Baghdad’s third lung. Other narratives address the urgency of counterfactual thinking in contemporary times and the recurring story of Laovo Cande in the Mediterranean.
In the “Innovations” section, we highlight initiatives like the Journalism Creation Fund, which has enabled reporting on issues related to international development, and the Idemi project, which seeks to address the absence of African languages on the internet. In “Ecos Gráficos,” we confront the persistence of fake news on social networks (and in the media). Finally, as always, the “Escaparate” section offers additional reading suggestions on the topic of development cooperation.
Cite this Journal:
ACEP & CEsA (2019). “Jornalismo e comunicação na aprendizagem do mundo”. ISEG/CEsA – Centro de Estudos sobre África e Desenvolvimento. Revista Mundo Crítico nº 4 (Out 2019). ISSN 2184-1926.
Mundo Crítico n.º 3: Cooperação para o Desenvolvimento: interesses nacionais ou agenda do bem comum?
Abstract:
This third edition of Mundo Crítico explores some of the pressing questions facing development cooperation today, both internationally and nationally. It aims to contribute to a diverse and multi-voiced portrait of a reality undergoing significant changes — conceptually, politically, and in practice — changes that may even challenge the very notion of cooperation as a core value in relations between geographic, political, and cultural spaces. The reasons behind the current turbulent times clearly extend beyond development cooperation itself, but the failure of certain models, or the inadequacy of others, in addressing contemporary challenges has led to their reevaluation within the broader scope of foreign policies in various states. This edition seeks to look to the future, contributing not only to a forward-looking reflection but also to a debate on the current state of Development Cooperation. It questions models, strategies, and narratives, aiming for political choices that we, as a society, can collectively identify with.
The issue begins with an “imperfect conversation”, adopting a critical tone, about the current trends in Development Cooperation and the pressing need to build sustainable local capacities. The “Knowledge and Circumstances” dossier opens with Six Questions on Portuguese Cooperation, a reflection by the Editorial Board aimed at fostering the necessary (and urgent) debate within the sector. The section features articles on diverse perspectives and approaches, including those of countries like China and Norway, recent decisions by Portuguese Cooperation regarding Official Development Assistance, and a reflection on the professionals of the “development industry,” the non-governmental sector in the PALOP countries, and the changes and actions of NGOs in Angola. Additionally, the issue includes an article on women in comics, opening pathways for cooperation and solidarity.
The “Ways of Seeing” section focuses on migration to Europe through the lens of Italian photographer Mario Badagliacca, showcasing objects brought by migrants landing in Lampedusa. The Narratives section presents two journalistic works: one on the Jamaica neighborhood in Portugal and another on a reunion in Ethiopia following the peace agreement with Eritrea.
We revisit the “Innovations” section (introduced in the first issue), with examples of processes promoting human rights in Guinea-Bissau and within the CPLP, as well as cooperation in education between Portugal and Mozambique. The edition concludes with “Ecos Gráficos”, featuring comics, and a curated selection of reading suggestions in Escaparate focused on the current state of Development Cooperation.
Cite this Journal:
ACEP & CEsA (2019). “Cooperação para o Desenvolvimento: interesses nacionais ou agenda do bem comum?”. ISEG/CEsA – Centro de Estudos sobre África e Desenvolvimento. Revista Mundo Crítico nº 3 (Jan 2019). ISSN 2184-1926.
Mundo Crítico n.º 2: Inovação: imaginar novos percursos para o desenvolvimento
Abstract:
What is “new” in “innovation and development”? This question served as the starting point for the challenge we posed in this second edition of Mundo Crítico, aiming to intersect diverse practices, experiences, and perspectives on the “innovation” agenda within international development cooperation.
Perhaps the greatest potential of the international “innovation and development” agenda lies in questioning the dichotomous logics that permeate relationships between “developed countries” and “developing countries.” These dynamics often conceive the former as spaces of “invention, recreation, or renewal” of theories, technologies, or organizational models, and the latter as mere recipients, importing products, values, and ideas. In light of the transformations in the world we live in and the uncertainties surrounding its direction and impacts, it becomes imperative to question what is truly “new” in “innovation and development”—recovering memory, observing the present, and daring to glimpse the future.
This edition begins with an “Imperfect Conversation” about the various dimensions of innovation, which go far beyond mere technological aspects. Social innovation must be accompanied by organizational innovation, fostering a process-oriented approach for truly inclusive and change-oriented development. In the dossier of “Knowledge and Circumstances”, reflective articles explore experiences and practices of innovation for development, including initiatives in creative economies in countries like Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe; cash transfers in humanitarian aid contexts; and a project to improve the quality of education in Latin America through school lighting, to name just a few examples. The “Ways of Seeing” section features a photographic dossier showcasing the faces of women from São Tomé and Príncipe, resulting from a project affirming the rights of Santomean women. The “Narratives” section presents practical cases and protagonists who leverage innovation and creativity to tackle diverse challenges.
Finally, we introduce a new section — Ecos Gráficos — dedicated to comics, as well as Escaparate, which serves as a gateway to further readings.
Cite this Journal:
ACEP & CEsA (2018). “Inovação: imaginar novos percursos para o desenvolvimento”. ISEG/CEsA – Centro de Estudos sobre África e Desenvolvimento. Revista Mundo Crítico nº 2 (Jun 2018). ISSN 2184-1926.
Mundo Crítico n.º 1: A propósito de fragilidades e complexidades do desenvolvimento
Abstract:
In an era of multiple challenges, spanning from the local to the global scale, Mundo Crítico – Journal of Development and Cooperation seeks to address the need for debate among public and private social actors, regardless of their size or geographic and thematic scope, with a critical, persistent, and dialogical commitment. It aims to foster unlikely dialogues between text and image, between art and science, between academics, artists, and practitioners, and among Portuguese-speaking individuals from diverse geographical and cultural spaces. The debate aspires to be comprehensive, with a particular focus on the ongoing social, economic, and political transformations shaping the world we inhabit.
The guiding principle of this platform is rooted in a vision of development as a multidisciplinary social action and the complementarity of various actors, both individual and collective. It considers cooperation among peoples as one of the pillars upon which a shared vision of human rights, well-being, and progress for humanity—both today and for future generations—can be built. A journal of critical thinking to reflect and act.
Cite this Journal:
ACEP & CEsA (2018). “A propósito de fragilidades e complexidades do desenvolvimento”. ISEG/CEsA – Centro de Estudos sobre África e Desenvolvimento. Revista Mundo Crítico nº 1 (Jan 2018). ISSN 2184-1926.
Os Actores Não Governamentais na Avaliação: Exemplos práticos em Moçambique e Guiné-Bissau
Abstract:
This work was conceived with a specific approach: the evaluation of the projects was conducted first, and only after its completion was the idea of publishing a small book on the evaluations considered. Since there was no coordination or dialogue between the “logic of theorization” and the “logic of practice” in the evaluation process intended for the evaluators (something that would undoubtedly have been interesting if done prior to the project evaluations), it was not feasible for the publication to revise certain aspects of the evaluations to systematically incorporate the international debate on the methodologies employed.
The book begins with an introductory section featuring a first chapter by Ana Filipa Oliveira, who provides a historical overview of ideas on evaluation and its institutionalization by various cooperation funders. In the second chapter, Jessica Santos analyses foundations as actors in the field of cooperation, drawing on her master’s research.
The second part contains a chapter by David Ávila, evaluating the “Tree of Hope” project in Maputo Province, specifically in the town of Namaacha in the area of agricultural production, which includes a significant research component, as well as the “Point by Point with Health” project in Inhambane. Jerusa Costa authors the following chapter, where she evaluates a set of projects supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in the area of health in Guinea-Bissau. This chapter concludes with a response from ACEP to Jerusa Santos’s evaluation of the project “Women and Development: Self-employment and Self-confidence.”
Finally, Carlos Sangreman writes the conclusions and recommendations, proposing the effective institutionalisation of evaluation in the context of non-governmental cooperation through the implementation of a pilot certification project.
Cite this book:
Sangreman, Carlos (Coordenação) .(2014). Os actores não governamentais na avaliação : exemplos práticos em Moçambique e Guiné-Bissau. Edição CEsA. Apoio Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. 2014
A Cooperação Europeia para o Desenvolvimento em 2024: Desafios e perspectivas
Abstract:
In a year of European Parliament (EP) elections, and amid growing global uncertainty, the study “European Development Cooperation in 2024: Challenges and Perspectives” was created following the publication “The Future of International Development Cooperation: Fragmentation, Adaptation, and Innovation in a Changing World” (2021). In this study, we outline the latest developments in the European Union’s (EU) international development cooperation (IDC) at the institutional and policy levels, highlighting the role of the European Parliament. We also examine the relationship between Portuguese IDC and its European counterpart, emphasizing the centrality of partner countries in the Portuguese-Speaking African Countries and Timor-Leste (PALOP-TL) and the role of civil society. We conclude with reflections on the implications for European cooperation, Portuguese cooperation, and civil society given the increasing importance of geopolitics in the current global context, the political-institutional transformations observed in European IDC, and the likely configuration of the EP for the new legislature, where it is expected that political forces opposing development cooperation will be strengthened.
Cite this ebook:
Bernardo, Luís Pais, Luís Mah e Ana Luísa Silva (2024). A cooperação europeia para o desenvolvimento em 2024 : desafios e perspectivas. Lisboa: Plataforma Portuguesa das ONGD
A certificação de sustentabilidade na Indústria Têxtil Portuguesa: um estudo exploratório
Abstract:
This study analyzes sustainability certification in the Portuguese textile industry. The main objective is to map the current landscape of sustainable practices adopted by this crucial sector of the Portuguese economy, evaluating the implications, challenges, and benefits of certification in the contemporary economic and environmental context. We aim to understand how sustainability certifications can serve as a strategic tool to boost the competitiveness of Portuguese companies in the global market, responding to the growing demand for ethical and environmentally conscious products.
The methodology employed in this study involves a review of the existing literature on sustainability in the textile industry. Essentially, it is a hybrid and comparative analysis, utilizing the complete universe of certified Portuguese textile companies. While this focused approach does not answer all questions, it allows this study to take a small step towards research committed to supporting companies that, despite clear risks and costs, choose to invest in sustainability. It also addresses the societal pressure that can and should be exerted on legislators to implement stronger regulatory frameworks and on companies that decide not to invest in sustainability.
This is a small step we hope will lead to further research efforts. We offer a perspective on the role of sustainability certification as a competitive differentiator for the Portuguese textile industry. The study emphasizes the growing importance of sustainability as a selection criterion for consumers and international business partners, reinforcing the need for Portuguese companies to continue investing in sustainable practices and obtaining certifications that validate their efforts. The study also presents and discusses recommendations for future policies and strategies, aiming to strengthen Portugal’s position as a leader in sustainable textile production on the global stage.
Cite this ebook:
Bernardo, Luís Pais (2024). A certificação de sustentabilidade na Indústria Têxtil Portuguesa : um estudo exploratório. Lisboa: Oficina Global.
Primeiro Passo Repensar: Um olhar sobre o consumo de moda sustentável dos jovens universitários em Portugal
Abstract:
Sustainable fashion consumption involves conscious choices in purchasing, using/maintaining, and disposing of each clothing item. Therefore, it is important to Rethink, Reject, Reduce, Repair, Reuse, and Recycle. This study aimed to understand the behaviors and environmental awareness of university students living in Portugal during the three main phases of fashion consumption. An online questionnaire survey was conducted among 271 university students aged 18 to 26. The survey was open for responses from June 15 to July 24, 2023.
Cite this ebook:
Silva, Ana Luísa e Renata Assis (2024). Primeiro passo repensar: um olhar sobre o consumo de moda sustentável dos jovens universitários em Portugal. Lisboa: FEC | Fundação Fé e Cooperação e CEsA/ISEG-UL.
