Lesson plan
Postdevelopment theory
Postdevelopment theory (also post-development or anti-development or development criticism) is a critique of the concept and practice of modernization and development as promoted by Western political powers in the Third World. Postdevelopment thought arose in the 1990s as a set of criticisms against development projects led by Western nations and legitimized under development theory. For postdevelopment theorists, "development" is an ideological concept that works to preserve the hegemony of the Global North while increasing the dependency of the Global South. Thus, postdevelopment theory argues for "alternatives to development" or "bottom-up" approaches to development, as determined by the peoples in the Third World.
Article summary
Postdevelopment theory (also post-development or anti-development or development criticism) is a critique of the concept and practice of modernization and development as promoted by Western political powers in the Third World. Postdevelopment thought arose in the 1990s as a set of criticisms against development projects led by Western nations and legitimized under development theory. For postdevelopment theorists, "development" is an ideological concept that works to preserve the hegemony of the Global North while increasing the dependency of the Global South. Thus, postdevelopment theory argues for "alternatives to development" or "bottom-up" approaches to development, as determined by the peoples in the Third World.
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.