Paper short abstract:

This study focuses on careers of local experts and shows how local expertise gets standardized. To understand this standardization, it analyzes the role played by professional aspiration for development and how they limite critical involvment.

Paper long abstract:

The involvement of local experts in development projects is an issue that has been raised by focusing on the role played by organizational, bureaucratic and political dynamics that give consistency to the daily work of such experts.

This paper aims to show how these different modes of involvment are intertwined and shape local expertise. It focuses on careers of local experts and shows how local expertise gets standardized. More specifically, to understand this standardization, it pays attention on the role played by professional aspirations for development world and finally shows how these aspirations may limite critical involvment.