Culture, Community, and Development: Unpacking the ‘Socio-Cultural Milieu Dynamics’ of Solomon Islands and Their Influence on Australia's Aid Localisation

Mark Opoku Amankwa; Gladys Nangira Murruka; Kwadwo Adusei-Asante Dr; Vicki Frances Banham; Clement Amponsah; Emmanuel Enyinful

doi:10.1002/pad.70043

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Culture, Community, and Development: Unpacking the ‘Socio-Cultural Milieu Dynamics’ of Solomon Islands and Their Influence on Australia's Aid Localisation

Journal article

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Culture, Community, and Development: Unpacking the ‘Socio-Cultural Milieu Dynamics’ of Solomon Islands and Their Influence on Australia's Aid Localisation

Mark Opoku Amankwa, Gladys Nangira Murruka, Kwadwo Adusei-Asante Dr, Vicki Frances Banham, Clement Amponsah and Emmanuel Enyinful

Public Administration and Development, Early View

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pad.70043

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Abstract

Australia's aid

culture

localisation

post-development theory

socio-cultural dynamics

socio-cultural milieu

Solomon Islands

Using public ethnography anchored in the post-development theory and interpretivist epistemological paradigm, this study examines what we term the ‘socio-cultural milieus dynamics’ (SCMD) of the Solomon Islands (SI) and how these shape meaning, discourse, and practice in ways that influence Australia's aid localisation efforts and aid outcomes. The findings indicate that local communities are deeply entrenched in complex SCMD with heterogeneous networks of decision-makers within the ecosystem. These SCMD, we argue, are evident in the structural and contested roles associated with the gendered composition of local committees, the power asymmetries between dominant local elites and subalternised groups, and the relationalities between donors and local communities. We suggest that while the current orientation of Australian aid programs or projects leans towards advancing locally-led projects, they should be more responsive to the community or local culture that accommodates different SCMD and more attuned to the cultural preferences of local communities. Our study contributes to ongoing development praxis and discourses by highlighting how aid projects cannot be separated from the cultural, ontological, and epistemological contexts that shape local experiences of aid localisation.

Details

Title: Culture, Community, and Development: Unpacking the ‘Socio-Cultural Milieu Dynamics’ of Solomon Islands and Their Influence on Australia's Aid Localisation
Authors/Creators: Mark Opoku Amankwa - Edith Cowan University
Gladys Nangira Murruka
Kwadwo Adusei-Asante Dr - Edith Cowan University
Vicki Frances Banham - Edith Cowan University
Clement Amponsah
Emmanuel Enyinful
Publication Details: Public Administration and Development, Early View
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Number of pages: 16
Identifiers: 991005833799307891
Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s).
Murdoch Affiliation: Indo-Pacific Research Centre
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 6 Social Sciences; 6.27 Political Science; 6.27.1609 Foreign Aid Dynamics
Web Of Science research areas: Development Studies; Public Administration
ESI research areas: Social Sciences, general