Lobbying --- I know that 'we' as humanitarians, NGOs etc. dislike the word lobbying because of its connotations. But aside from the negative associations of lobbying, is there any substantial difference between this wider definition and how lobbyists define what they do? Taking a pragmatic/cynical attitude, I sometimes find it useful to think of the influencing work we do as lobbying - to me it means not shying away from more efficient, direct, sometimes ruthless tactics -for e.g. less well meaning public statements, more calculated and targeted 'quiet' diplomacy.

Source author: Etienne Berges etienneberges@redcross.org.uk