Deconstructing Development Discourse Buzzwords and Fuzzwords
Andrea Cornall et al
Writing from diverse locations, the contributors to this volume examine some of the key terms in current development discourse. Why should language matter to those who are doing development? Surely, there are more urgent things to do than sit around mulling over semantics? But language does matter. Whether emptied of their original meaning, essentially vacuous, or hotly contested, the language of development not only shapes our imagined worlds, but also justifies interventions in real people’s lives. If development buzzwords conceal ideological differences or sloppy thinking, then the process of constructive deconstruction make it possible to re-examine what have become catch-all terms like civil society and poverty reduction, or bland aid-agency terms such as partnership or empowerment. Such engagement is far more than a matter of playing word games. The reflections included here raise major questions about how we think about development itself.
Detalles de publicación
- Publicado: 2010
- Editor: Practical Action Publishing, Ltd.
- ISBN-10: 1853397067
- ISBN-13: 9781853397066
- Dewey Decimal: 338.91
- Librería ECHO: 338.91 COR