International development management through a Southern lens

Abstract Development Management (DM) has always been seen through the lens of the Global North. Taking its cue from Brinkerhoff and Brinkerhoff's ( 2010 ) study on the state of international DM from a Northern perspective, this article provides a complementary perspective from Lebanon in order to spark a North–South debate on the state of DM in terms of its values and institutional agendas and the role of government. The article concludes with a discussion on some implications for policy and practice in Lebanon and the DM more generally, suggesting that the Southern perspective is cautiously more tolerant of politics in development and that the role of government in development should be that of an active partner and facilitator. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.