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The Post-Development Reader
With the collapse of colonialism, the millions who had joined the struggle accepted their leaders' new call for 'development'. Little today remains of that enthusiasm. The question they now ask can anything be done to stop the process and regenerate the forces needed to bring about change more in accordance with their own aspirations?
This reader brings together an exceptionally gifted group of thinkers and activists - from South and North - who have long pondered these questions. Diverse in background and experience, they are all committed, however, to seeing through the rhetoric of development, free from the distorting lenses of ideology and habit. They are also interested in looking at 'the other side of the story', particularly from the perspective of the 'losers'.
It is these orientations which make this reader such an original compilation. The contributors illuminate the wisdom of vernacular society which modern development thinking and practice has done so much to denigrate and destroy. They deliver devastating critiques of the dominant development paradigm and what it has done to the peoples of the world and their richly diverse and sustainable ways of living. Most importantly, in terms of the future, they present some of the experiences and ideals out of which ordinary people are now trying to construct their own more humane and culturally and ecologically respectful alternatives to development, which, in turn, may provide useful signposts for those concerned with the post-development era that is now at hand.
This reader brings together an exceptionally gifted group of thinkers and activists - from South and North - who have long pondered these questions. Diverse in background and experience, they are all committed, however, to seeing through the rhetoric of development, free from the distorting lenses of ideology and habit. They are also interested in looking at 'the other side of the story', particularly from the perspective of the 'losers'.
It is these orientations which make this reader such an original compilation. The contributors illuminate the wisdom of vernacular society which modern development thinking and practice has done so much to denigrate and destroy. They deliver devastating critiques of the dominant development paradigm and what it has done to the peoples of the world and their richly diverse and sustainable ways of living. Most importantly, in terms of the future, they present some of the experiences and ideals out of which ordinary people are now trying to construct their own more humane and culturally and ecologically respectful alternatives to development, which, in turn, may provide useful signposts for those concerned with the post-development era that is now at hand.
464 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 12, 2007
I liked many of the things the authors had to say, but I can't ultimately get behind the relativism it advocates (ie, let's return to 'communal society' and have the 'respected elders' run the show).
March 5, 2011
This was such a thought provoking read and an eye opener on so many levels. Maybe I shouldn't rate this one whatsoever because I didn't have enough time to read all essays (my friend who borrowed me while he was staying at my place had to leave and took his book) but the ones I've read were mind-blowing. I don't think I'd be able better to describe this book than what I've read on amazon (or I would be able if I haven't read description there):
"This Reader brings together in a powerfully diverse, but ultimately coherent, statement some of the very best thinking on the subject by scholars and activists from both North and South. They provide a devastating critique of what the mainstream paradigm has in practice done to the peoples of the world and to their richly diverse and sustainable ways of living. They also present some of the essential ideas out of which the victims of development are now constructing new, humane, culturally and ecologically respectful modes of development."
"This Reader brings together in a powerfully diverse, but ultimately coherent, statement some of the very best thinking on the subject by scholars and activists from both North and South. They provide a devastating critique of what the mainstream paradigm has in practice done to the peoples of the world and to their richly diverse and sustainable ways of living. They also present some of the essential ideas out of which the victims of development are now constructing new, humane, culturally and ecologically respectful modes of development."
February 13, 2015
great compendium of the post-structuralist, decolonial take on development studies and the partisan side many authors, activists and organisers and academics take against domination, authoritarism and the imperialistic means by which development was introduced around the world.
October 18, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It is put together more like a collection of essays rather than an edited book so the chapters don't flow together or add on one another as they usually do in an edited volume - I like it like this though. It means more of the author's voice comes out and makes it a more enjoyable and non-boring read. Great way to get a good overview of post-dev. I would really like an updated version.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews