The paradox of externally driven localisation: a case study on how local actors manage the contradictory legitimacy requirements of top-down bottom-up aid

Journal of International Humanitarian Action

Table 1 The two conflicting paradigms that shape the legitimacy requirements for externally driven ‘local aid’

Paradigm	What aid projects should focus on	How aid should be designed and managed
Resilience	Empowerment Self-reliance Sustainability	Community actors operate with a high level of autonomy
Surveillance	Professionalism Accountability Compliance	Through external monitoring and control
Resilience & Surveillance	All of the above	Community actors operate with a high level of autonomy through external monitoring and control