Development aid often gets bad press because it is seen as ineffective in lifting countries out of poverty. In The Aid Lab, Naomi Hossain argues that aid can work, even in extremely unpromising contexts. The Aid Lab examines the extraordinary case of Bangladesh.
Dealt a weak hand in natural resources and geopolitical significance, wounded by war and famine, Bangladesh has transitioned into a canny and adaptable player in the global economy. It pioneered the use of micro-finance and was the earliest developing country committed to addressing women’s needs as part of poverty reduction. This is not the story of a poster child for neoliberalism, but rather of a pragmatic state selectively engaging with donors and global markets while building a social compact to mitigate vulnerability.
Join John Gershman, Clinical Professor of Public Practice at NYU Wagner, for a conversation with Hossain on what other developing countries can learn from Bangladesh.
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