In a remote area of Sudan, the Abyei project embodied the idealistic hopes of the "new directions" for development aid of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Within this optimistic context, Harvard Institute for International Development was invited to assist the leaders of the Ngok Dinka people in developing their homeland. The goal was to discover and implement innovations that would benefit the local population in a sustainable manner.

Between a Swamp and a Hard Place traces the project's evolution and analyzes its successes and failures as the region slipped toward civil disorder and inter-ethnic violence. The authors also document the continued relevance of the development principles that animated this effort--including strong participation by the intended beneficiaries--which are still important for achieving economic growth in rural Africa.