David Lewis is an anthropologist by training and has written and researched extensively on development issues, particularly with reference to South Asia. His primary geographical focus is Bangladesh, but he has also worked in Nepal, India and the Philippines. Books include Anthropology, Development and the Postmodern Challenge (with K. Gardner, 1996) and The Management of Non-Governmental Development Organizations (2001). He recently completed a life work history research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) on the experiences and policy implications of activists and professionals who cross between the public sector and the non-governmental sectors. He is currently Professor of Social Policy and Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science.