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Desk Jobs around the World

A Dutch journalist attempted to capture the essence of civil servants through portraits of local government office workers worldwide.

middle-east-government
Jan Banning
This story is part of Governing's annual International issue.

Dutch photographer Jan Banning has traveled the world documenting the consequences of war, the homeless and impoverished, and victims of human trafficking. Asked to photograph a story on the administration of international development aid, something he thought to be “un-photographable,” Banning and a journalist set out to visit hundreds of local government offices worldwide. Between 2003 and 2007, they met civil servants in eight countries on five continents. “Though there is a high degree of humour and absurdity in these photos,” Banning says, “they also show compassion with the inhabitants of the state’s paper labyrinth.”

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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