Postcolonialism and Development
has set out to open a dialogue for the inclusion of postcolonial theory
in the discipline of development studies, arguing that such a dynamic is
vital for furthering the validity and effectiveness of future development
strategies. As has been discussed, the tendency of development discourse
to disregard indigenous knowledge as inadequate in comparison to Eurocentric scientific teleology, leads to the fallacy of the ‘third world’ as a
single entity that can be solved with a universal development strategy. As
postcolonial scholars would argue, and as has been suggested in this article, this approach can lead to inadequate development. Without taking
into account indigenous knowledge and allowing traditional Eurocentric
scientific teleology to be challenged, global development will be unable
to evolve. The inclusion of postcolonial theory, into the realm of global
development, would allow development theorists to challenge their traditional Eurocentric understanding thus delivering more applicable and
improved development strategies.
Bibliography
Ahmad, A. (1995) Postcolonialism: What’s In a Name? London: Verso.
Biccum, A. (2002) ‘Interrupting the Discourse of Development: On a
Collision Course with Postcolonial Theory’ Culture, Theory and Critique, 43(1): 33-50.
Crush, J. (2006) Power of Development Oxon: Routledge.
Escobar, A. (1995) Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking Of the Third World. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Goss, J. (1996) ‘Postcolonialism: Subverting Whose Empire?’ Third
World Quarterly, 22(4): 479-489.
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