Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 12/2010

Dialoguing Partnerships: An analysis of the dialogue assumptions of the Danish Partnership for Dialogue and Reform

Marie-Louise Koch Wegter, Karina Pultz

November 2010

Danish Institute for International Studies

Abstract

Danish and Arab professionals working together as part of the Danish Partnership for Dialogue and Reform are likely to dismantle mutual prejudices and adopt positive views of each other. The trusting, personal relations that are often built up in the process of cooperation serve to strengthen Danish-Arab 'social capital'. Certain conditions have to be in place to ensure this type of positive outcome of the partnerships, however, and there is still room for improvements. These are the main conclusions of a new DIIS Report, 'Dialoguing Partnerships' by Marie-Louise Wegter and Karina Pultz. The report examines the degree to which prejudices are countered and trusting relations are established as a result of the dialogue in seven professional, long term partnerships between organizations in Denmark, Jordan and Morocco.