Difficult Path to Democracy: The Political Differentiation of NGOs in Rural Mexico

Abstract

Only recently have scholars and development practitioners started to question the role of NGOs in politics. After reviewing the current state of research in this area, we use evidence from the Huasteca region of the state of San Luis Potosí, in Central Mexico, to argue that NGOs have complex ties to their local political environment, including a direct role in politics. We propose a classification of NGOs according to their involvement with the local political scene, based on their level of political ambition and their political affiliation. Using ethnographic data and interviews with NGO members, we illustrate each type by describing a Huasteca NGO that embodies it.