Multilateral Development Banks

The Good Hegemon: How the United States helps People hold the Multilateral Development Banks to Account /  by Susan Park

The Good Hegemon

For decades the Multilateral Development Banks have had environmental and social policies to protect communities from direct harm resulting from MDB financed development projects. Over time the MDBs created accountability mechanisms to provide recourse for people adversely affected by loans for developing projects from the World Bank, World Bank Group, African, Asian, Inter-American Development Banks, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. This book examines how and why they emerged, how they have changed over time, and whether they change the culture of the Banks. It argues that the US helped people hold the development banks to account through pushing for their creation. Following from a tradition of using accountability mechanisms to control the MDBs, the US used the same processes to demand accountability mechanisms for justice. Over time it would demand the mechanisms be reformulated when they proved not to work. While they have become more transparent and responsive over time, the accountability mechanisms do not challenge the Banks culture of lending.

Get your copy of The Good Hegemon here

 

How to hold new types of development finance to account? An action plan for multilateral development banks /  by University Bridge

New forms of finance for development projects are creating problems in terms of accountability. As MDBs increase their lending to financial intermediaries compliance with social and environmental policy becomes much harder.

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Electing the World's Banker: What does Dr Jim Kim's resignation mean for the World Bank? /  by University Bridge

Can the United States be stared down? No. The reason why it is likely for a US candidate to be president is that the United States has informal influence within the Bank as well as formal voting power (controlling 16.88 percent of the vote in the Bank, which gives it the power to veto decisions that require a super-majority to pass).

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Multilateral Development Banks, Accountablilty, Research - Dr Susan Park, Sydney University /  by University Bridge

Dr Susan Park discusses her research into Multilateral Development Banks

In this interview, Dr Park discusses her latest research into Multilateral Development Banks and accountability structures of the the MDBs.

Conference Presentations - Susan Park /  by University Bridge

Susan recently presented at the following conferences:

The International Political Studies Association annual conference in Brisbane in July 2018. Paper titled: "The Declining Independence of the World Bank Inspection Panel?". See more here.

Presented at the Asian Studies Association of Australia conference in Sydney in June 2018. Paper titled: "Environmental Justice and the Asian Development Bank". See more here.

Presented at the International Studies Association Annual conference 2018 in San Francisco in April 2018. Papers titled: "Greening the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development through Accountability?". See more here.

International Organisations and Global Problems: Theories and Explanations /  by University Bridge

How do international organizations (IOs) solve problems? In this theoretically driven book, Dr Susan Park examines how IOs tackle today’s complex global issues.

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Ongoing Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) research /  by Susan Park

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)

I wanted to use this space to draw some attention to my current research project on these international banks. These banks include the World Bank, World Bank Group and African, Asian, Inter-American Development Banks and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Our project is focused on the mechanisms they use in creating and reinforcing change. More information on the project can be found at the link below.

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) research project