Repositioning urban bias: Non‐state providers' use of spatialised networks in Bangladesh. (1st January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Badruzzaman, Aeshna
• Other Names: Moldavanova Alisa guestEditor.; Onishi Tamaki guestEditor.; Toepler Stefan guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Public administration and development. Volume 43:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 49
• Page End: 59
• Publication Date: 2023-01-01
• Subjects: development -- non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) -- non‐state providers -- south Asia -- urban bias; Developing countries -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Public administration -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Développement communautaire -- Pays en voie de développement -- Périodiques; Pays en voie de développement -- Administration -- Périodiques; Pays en voie de développement -- Conditions économiques -- Périodiques; Pays en voie de développement -- Conditions sociales -- Périodiques; 350
• DOI: 10.1002/pad.2003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-2075

Abstract

Abstract: Urban bias theory predicts urban areas of developing countries receive disproportionately more resources than rural areas due to their concentration of numerically large, politically important "vote banks." This has not been the case in Bangladesh. This study finds that this variation occurs due to non‐state providers (NSPs) changing the landscape of resource allocation. Operating on the premise that state control leads to more services in urban areas, urban bias fails to account for NSPs as critical service providers. Employing a grounded theory strategy to explore urban‐rural dynamics in service provision and to build on urban bias theory, this research highlights interactions between state and non‐state actors. It argues that spatialized political networks, networks of formal and informal leadership more difficult to access in urban areas, influence the locality of service provision. Though NSPs recognize increased need in urban areas of Bangladesh, their interventions in those areas remain peripheral due to differing structures of government accountability and differing levels of community acceptance facilitating these networks. The need for NSPs to adapt their activities to restrictive governance mechanisms reflects the changing space for NSPs in the context of semi‐democratic regimes.