Een blank isolement: buitenlandse ontwikkelingswerkers in Afrika

Samenvatting

Technical assistants in African countries south of the Sahara usually only meet Africans in formal relationships. They do not succeed in developing personal contacts. This cannot be attributed to the influence of motivational factors on the assistants' part. Differences in cultural background are certainly important but do not suffice as explanation. Structural factors should be considered. The social position of white development workers in poor countries determines their contact possibilities. As representatives of a rich & powerful country or donor organization, technical assistants are also rich & powerful. They tend to underestimate the size of effect of this power gap. They take refuge in the community of technical assistants who are likewise disappointed. These communities absorb all their members' energies & reduce their contact possibilities with the local population. Modified HA.