The meaning of ‘revolution’ in development aid : an exploration into the perceptions of unconditional cash transfers within a continuously changing aid industry

English. This thesis looks at the use of unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) in the aid industryas a tool to alleviate poverty. UCTs are built on the idea of just giving money to thepoor instead of setting up large-scale development projects. UCTs have been growingin popularity in the aid industry and the tool is described as revolutionary because itallows recipients instead of donors to decide what they need to escape poverty. Thisthesis sets out to examine the role of UCTs in the development aid industry byconsidering the perceptions of UCTs and the position of UCTs in relation to the shiftsin development aid discourses. The NGO GiveDirectly serves as a case study toresearch the use of UCTs in aid and to examine the role of NGOs within the aidindustry. Interviews were conducted and a thematic analysis of texts was carried outto gain insights into the use of UCTs and the NGO GiveDirectly. The sources representthe donor perspective and include representatives from the media, NGO employees,development experts, and academic scholars. The findings suggest that UCTs areperceived very positively but that they are not as revolutionary as they are made outto be. Additionally, the discussion on the role of NGOs in the aid industry proposesthat GiveDirectly does not offer alternatives to dominant understandings of aid.Moreover, the contextualization of UCTs within the aid industry suggests that the toolfits well within broader shifts in thinking about aid. Lastly, this thesis argues that UCTsillustrate the ongoing cycle of hyper optimism over new methods of delivering aidfollowed by a realization that results are limited. In conclusion, this thesis argues thatUCTs represent ongoing continuities in aid discourses rather than alternatives.

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