Is it possible to work in international development without hurting those we are trying to help?

Over the last few decades, evangelical Christians in the United States have moved from an open embrace of development work (e.g. short term missions, poverty alleviation strategies like microenterprise, child sponsorship) to a more critical assessment (e.g. When Helping Hurts, Serving with Eyes Wide Open, Poverty Inc.).

These strategic shifts are not new. Scholars writing within the field of international development have entertained these debates for quite some time, but...