GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS: Investigating How System-level Dynamics Influence Aid Localisation

The aid sector is notorious for slow pace of localisation. Moving beyond conventional explanations of donor willingness, I argue that system-level dynamics matter. In conceptualizing interactions between donors and local actors via domains of budgets, partnerships, and relationships as ‘networks’, I empirically demonstrate how these networks acquire properties which ultimately influence localisation outcomes. I also investigate the mechanisms which sustain these network properties over time.