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Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking of the Third World
Angelika May S. Magtibay | 2013-03947-MN-0
Abstract
This seminar paper is embarked upon approaches through which development coincides
with the aspects of life in the past and present and how people are coping with such
development. These articles (1) INTRODUCTION: Development and the Anthropology of
Modernity and (2) CONCLUSION: Imagining a Post Development Era of the material titled
Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking of the Third World by Arturo Escobar.
Introduction
The author presented new mechanisms in the analysis of development discourse and
practice per se, concluding with a discussion of alternative visions for a postdevelopment era.
The discourse and strategy of development produced its opposite: massive underdevelopment
and impoverishment, untold exploitation and oppression. Through a discursive analysis
approach of the components and analysis of the society and societal actors, he formulated the
three axes that define development: (1) its forms of knowledge; (2) the system of power it
regulates it practice; (3) and the forms of subjectivity fostered in this discourse.
I. Development and the Anthropology of Modernity
Development issues first factor is the people itself. The plan and the outcome itself will be
based on the people involved for such program. There will be a program to be planned because
of the people. That is why we never take the people out of the picture.
In this part of the discourse, the importance of connection of knowledge and the discourse
knowledge was pointed out. Development is a result of knowledge, power and discourse.
Through adequate knowledge of the people in discourse and knowledge itself comes societal
development. Also representations as the identities of the countries were given emphasis as
important factors in analyzing and understanding government, as these representations provides
both complex political and cultural histories. Modernity alongside with tradition formulates
development. Modernity and development are formulated according to complex processes
including traditional cultural processes. Transformative engagement with modernity brings up
survival of traditional cultures leading to development. Development can be attained by
following the Western through following conditions imposed by international institutions that
would promoted development, replicate features that characterizes advance societies through
evolution, industrialization, privatization and such. It was said that underdevelopment leads to
massive state and governmental problems such as poverty, malnutrition and the likes which
greatly affects humanity. It was also argued that colonization of reality in development analysis
lies a role in shaping of culture and construction of social power, having to be able to describe
the Third World as backward societies not in the process of development.
II. Imagining a Post Development Era
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Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking of the Third World
Angelika May S. Magtibay | 2013-03947-MN-0
Development in the Third World is somehow based on the basic human needs as pushed
by the World Bank that were adapted by numerous international chambers and agencies. Aligned
on a liberal discourse, it focused on the assessment and measurement of needs but lacking a link
to peoples experience in daily life. This has brought to the struggle of the interpretation of
needs. The author challenged the social movements to come up with new ways of addressing to
the basic needs towards development.
Post-development and neoliberalism are curtailed where these two different schools have
different reasons although both aim for an implausible development, post development
underlines solidarity and considers the well-being of human, while a neoliberalist perspective
concentrates on individuals competition. Post-Development and Post-modernism consequently
do not mean to be lost in diversity.
Conclusion
It is safe to say that is clear that change must start at the local level. Regarding Post-
Development, supporting development practice, the support of local movements, is a way to
adapt theory in practice. Post-Development means the deconstruction of so-called truths as well
as the encouragement of engagement and reflexive action. Being aware and open minded in the
contradictions and opportunities leads to a change in norm in the society. A change doesnt harm
at all, if the change is for the better then we should not be afraid of change.
