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Cited by 37Ombudsman and Human RightsPublic Administration in Developing NationsPublic Policy and Administration Research

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The politics of complaint: a review of the literature on grievance redress mechanisms in the global South

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Hossain, Naomi, Joshi, Anuradha, Pande, Suchi·2024·Policy Studies
DOI 10.1080/01442872.2023.2193387
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Abstract

Institutionalized complaint systems are notable features of improving public programmes and government practice. This article reviews literature on formal grievance redress mechanisms in the global South to understand whether these mechanisms help the aggrieved to complain and seek redress for their grievances. In this emerging literature, the institutional and definitional boundaries of formal grievance mechanisms are slippery; systems that look like grievance systems may do little to enable complaints by those who seek to register them, and even less to enable them to achieve redress; with limited evidence on how these formal grievance systems work on the ground, and without sufficient power to act on complaints these formal grievance systems appear to be more ornamental; and where they have worked uncommonly well they have not always attracted political support to go to scale. The article concludes with a discussion of avenues for research identified through this literature review.

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Cited by

Metadata

Authors
Hossain, N., Joshi, A., & Pande, S.
Affiliations
  • American University (US)
  • University of Sussex (GB)
Corresponding author
Joshi, Anuradha
ORCID
Venue
Policy Studies
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2023-04-24
Volume
45
Issue
2
Pages
139-158
ISSN
  • 0144-2872 (ISSN-L)
  • 1470-1006
DOI
10.1080/01442872.2023.2193387
OpenAlex
W4366829581
Cited by
37
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 3
FWCI
15.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Policy Studies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • SOAS Research Online (SOAS University of London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • OpenDocs (Institute of Development Studies) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • American University Research Archive (cc-by)
Funders
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Law › Ombudsman and Human Rights
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Public Administration in Developing Nations
  • Social Sciences › Public Administration › Public Policy and Administration Research
Keywords
grievance redress mechanisms, citizen complaints, access to justice, government accountability, institutional effectiveness, Global South, public service delivery

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