Contenu du sommaire : Les transformations de la coopération internationale pour le développement

The careers of young graduates in the field of development : “mirroring” a sector in the throes of change. This investigation into the early experiences of graduates employed in the field of development demonstrates a varied set of career paths and a range of contrasting professional activities. The rise in the level of training, the strong competition with skilled personnel from countries of the South, the introduction of ever more technical procedures in the pursuit of programme quality assurance and the importance of mastering specialised knowledge are factors which constantly disrupt access to this field and to suitable methods of working in it.

A new tool for the micro-finance sector : micro-insurance. The case of a rural organisation in Mexico. Each and every day, micro-finance, a popular Development Aid tool, is increasingly being embraced by the traditional financial market, especially since the disclosure to the public of bankruptcies among well known micro-finance institutions. The recent introduction to the microfinance portfolio of micro-insurance services has hastened this process, readjusting and undermining the professionality of the sector in one fell swoop. The work carried out by the Asociación Mexicana de Uniones de Crédito del Sector Social (amucss) in Mexico, as presented in this article, highlights the upheaval that the introduction of this financial product has brought with it.

From theory to practice : Brazil's agricultural technical cooperation put to the test on African soil. This article examines the existing agricultural technical cooperation between Brazil and the continent of Africa. It reveals that those involved on the Brazilian side view South-South cooperation, a model based on horizontality and impartiality, as breaking the mould of the “traditional” model of North-South cooperation. However, these claims do not stand up to careful scrutiny when the on-the-ground activities are analysed. What unfolds is a vision of development that is underpinned by technology and one that in practice is at times closely bound to trading opportunities. The analysis also shows that the skills of the Brazilian support workers are put to the test during the implementation of the cooperative programmes, both at a project management level and at the level of the overseeing institution.

“Professionals in Readiness Preparation” : helping the Democratic Republic of the Congo reduce deforestation (redd+ scheme). This article is based on an ethnographic investigation into the work of the professionals who are tasked with preparing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (drc) for reduced deforestation under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation+ (redd+) scheme. We refer to these professionals as professionals in readiness preparation'. They consist of former development aid workers who can be distinguished by their geographical mobility and their skill flexibility. The article examines their situation by reviewing the various challenges that come with the job, and highlights the experimental nature of the job itself. The interventions involved in preparing a huge country like drc, which has only recently emerged from a period of conflict, are rather minimalist in nature and akin to feeling around in the dark.

The gold standard of randomised controls : from theoretical method to political economics. The last decade has seen the emergence of a new field of research in development economics : the use of randomised controlled trials (rct) in the experimental assessment of impact. This article explores the disparity between the many limitations inherent in the actual scope of rct along with its very narrow sphere, and the success of rct as evidenced by the number of times it has been applied and by the significant amount of media coverage it has received. Our analysis suggests that this disparity is the product of a highly specific blend of economics and politics, which can be linked to the innovative strategies developed by researchers from this new school of thought, and to the interests and preferences shown by the academic/donor community.