Strategic Collaboration and Avoidance in State-NGO Relations

• In Event: 505 - Section on Global and Transnational Sociology Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06. Health and Globalization

Abstract

This article analyzes Chinese non-governmental organizations’ (NGOs) potential to address the impact of HIV/AIDS from a strategic collaboration and avoidance standpoint. Knowledge production, trust building and educational efforts by NGOs are critical ingredients to the success of the NGO. From the NGO’s perspective, strategic collaboration with the state involves educational efforts directed at state institutions. Strategic avoidance, on the other hand, is invoked by NGOs when trying to protect themselves from what they perceive as the state’s arbitrary actions that can potentially threaten their activities. While NGOs may seek to educate state authorities, this article further argues that the ‘lack of knowledge’ on the part of state institutions may be deployed strategically as well as, where ignorance is used as a resource to reinforce state power.

Author

• Jennifer YJ Hsu, University of Alberta