Hi Mel,
I think the answer is: all three examples were incurious about the complexity and reactivity of the social environments they were entering into, and chose styles of intervention (cumbersome, massive, one-off roll-outs) that lacked agility or the possibility of local variation, not only failing to consult locals, but failing even to make use of the multi-disciplinary expertise that was available if they’d invited it into the design process.
The 2003 Iraq Invasion was a business-as-usual project of the Pentagon utterly unprepared for the reactions of Iraqi society, starkly demonstrated by the sacking of the Baghdad archaeological museum by criminal gangs and individuals almost immediately after the capture of the city. The 2007 NT Intervention was sketched on the back of an envelope by (ex military officer) Mal Brough and John Howard and involved essentially a military invasion of NT communities and the stripping of local autonomy: no account was taken of how indigenous people would react to those measures. It is still completely unclear – despite disputed claims both ways – whether the sum result is negative or positive, largely I believe because indigenous people are now so thoroughly alienated they refuse to cooperate with evaluators. The Pink Batts Program was prepared by young, well-meaning, inexperienced staff in the Department of the Environment (I saw them at work). They were ambushed by the surprising number of cowboy operators out there, something they would have become aware off if they had used more seasoned industry expertise.
The aim of this model is to counsel program designers large and small to be cautious and curious about the complexity and reactivity in the social environments they are entering into and respond by, either:
– “bespoke programs” which mobilise outside expertise to craft carefully tailored multi-pronged strategies and proceed by pilots; or
– “experimental programs” which learn their way be proceeding by modest experiments with local outsourcing; or
– “emergency programs” which enable and empower local agents and actors to respond as they see fit.
Thanks for asking Mel; it’s helped me be clearer about the ideas, and I’ve edited the post as a result.
Cheers – LKes