Power lines: the political context of nongovernmental organization (ngo) activity in el alto, bolivia

Abstract

This article examines the changing relationships between the state, NGOs and impoverished residents in El Alto, an impoverished city on the periphery of La Paz. NGOs are understood as nominally private, non‐profit agencies that act as intermediaries between financial donors and local residents and whose function is to implement projects favoring the so‐called popular sectors. In practice, these distinctions are not so clear cut. NGOs are increasingly accommodating state policies, and groups that emerge from grassroots initiatives may take on NGO‐like characteristics, as they seek financial support from international aid agencies. How, the article asks, has the shifting and blurring of organizational forms effected the ability of local people to represent themselves?