Although much attention is given to the problems facing developing countries, extreme global stratification continues to exist. In this dissertation I consider the role of two factors in the global development system: foreign aid and international non-governmental organizations (INGOS). Using data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) I construct measures of Aid Attractiveness using social network analyses that report the level of popularity or importance of recipient countries to OECD donor-countries. I examine how a developing country’s attractiveness for foreign aid impacts the number of INGOs there, and vice-versa, from 1960-2005. I also examine how a country’s past attractiveness for foreign aid, and number of INGOs, relate to a set of indicators of development in 2005.
My results indicate that there is a significant, longitudinal relationship between Aid Attractiveness and INGOs in developing countries. Being more attractive for aid (i.e. popular amongst donors) in one time period positively predicts the number of INGOs in that country five years later. And, the number of INGOs in one time period positively predicts the Aid Attractiveness of a country five years later. I also find that a country’s past Aid Attractiveness positively, and significantly, impacts levels of development in 2005. However, a country’s past number of INGOs is not significantly related to its level of development.
I consider my dissertation to be a contribution to the interdisciplinary field of global development, generally, and the sociology of global stratification and international organization, specifically. I pose a number of questions in this dissertation to be considered in future projects on aid, INGOs, and development.