NGOs have a great deal of influence over our lives. This episode uncovers the hidden power structures behind the world's most powerful non-governmental organisations — and why they deserve far more scrutiny than they get.
Zoe Sankey sits down with Gerald Steinberg — founder of NGO Monitor and professor emeritus of political science at Bar-Ilan University — to discuss the evolution of NGOs from altruistic civil society groups into political powerhouses, the funding sources and transparency issues within organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and how they've come to shape the UN and international policy on Israel.
"Ken Roth is hugely powerful as an individual." "Their reports often lack substantive verification." Gerald pulls back the curtain on how civil society was hijacked by political and ideological agendas, case studies of NGOs with alleged ties to governments and terrorist organisations, the UN accreditation process and what it really takes to get a seat at the table, and the power dynamics inside these organisations' leadership.
00:00 Introduction to Gerald Steinberg and His Work
02:56 Understanding NGOs: Definitions and Historical Context
06:07 The Evolution and Influence of NGOs
09:06 The Political Landscape of NGOs
12:05 NGO Monitor: Purpose and Function
15:00 The Power Dynamics within NGOs
18:06 Whistleblowers and Internal Critiques
20:52 The Future of NGOs and Their Impact
31:46 The Influence of NGOs on Global Politics
35:14 The Halo Effect: Media and NGO Relationships
40:27 The Writing and Impact of NGO Reports
50:12 The Future of NGOs and the UN
57:49 Zionism: Misunderstood and Maligned
Read Gerald Steinberg's full body of work at Quillette:
👉 https://quillette.com/author/gerald-steinberg/
Resources:
— NGO Monitor: https://www.ngo-monitor.org
— UN Watch: https://www.unwatch.org
— The War of Return by Einat Wilf: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1594039624?tag=quillette-20
Follow NGO Monitor:
— Twitter/X: https://x.com/NGOMonitor
— Website: https://www.ngo-monitor.org
Subscribe to Quillette Cetera for more fearless conversations wherever you get your podcasts, and head to Quillette.com for the stories mainstream media won't touch.
#NGO #HumanRights #Amnesty #UnitedNations #Israel #Quillette
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