CONFLICT, LEGITIMACY, AND EFFECTIVENESS - WHO SPEAKS FOR WHOM IN TRANSNATIONAL NGO NETWORKS LOBBYING THE WORLD-BANK

Networks of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have gained a measure of influence in policy and finding debates for the multilateral devel opment banks, particularly the World Bank (WE). Addressing organizatio ns owned and governed by member states, they have raised issues of env ironmental impact, economic and social justice, political participatio n, and the rights of minorities (sometimes majorities) usually exclude d from national and global decision making. With their success have co me pressures that reveal tensions and contradictions in the networks' representation, agenda setting, self-governance, and claims to legitim acy. These tensions can be traced to the networks' position in a chang ing international political economy. They have weakened the NGOs' infl uence with the WE and its major member states and are now stimulating proposals anti initiatives to change the networks' self-governance.