Reading Check-in: Development

Development

The process of improving one’s life in various aspects. It connects to globalization as it shows that countries are connected by issues surrounding humanitarian conflicts which are addressed to improve people’s lives.

Why do terms such as developed and underdevelop matter?

They matter for understand the inequalities that are prevalent on a global standpoint

What problems do the authors identify with these labels?

It reinforces a hierarchy, deems more advanced countries as “superior” to the ones that aren’t, and they feed into the ideologies of the cold war which are outdated.

Millenium Development vs. Sustainable Development

The Millenium Development goals are more focused on reducing poverty and the wellbeing of the people (education, health, and gender equality) and the Sustainable Development goals are more ambitious and focus on environmental stability.

How did the Sustainable Development goals broaden earlier ideas of development?

By focusing on climate change and environmental sustainability

Modernization Theory

A neo-evolutionary theory that all nation-states will follow each other through stages

Rostow’s Five Stage Model

Traditional society, preconditions for takeoff, drive to maturity, and age of high mass consumption. One assumption is that every society will follow in the footsteps.

Critiques of the modernization theory/human capital

It may hold western bias. Modernization and human capital don’t address the structural inequality.

Dependency theory

That the poverty that exists in less fortunate countries is tied to the relationship with more advanced countries

Core

Countries that are more industrialized

Periphery

Countries that provide raw goods and services to their core partners

Policy recommendation

Import-substitution industrialization

World systems vs dependency theory

Expands on the dependency theory by associating the global economy as one single system and is broken into three groups: core, semi-periphery, and periphery.

The importance of semi-periphery

They help stabilize the global system.

Role of neoliberal ideas and structural adjustment programs

Deregulate and reduce government intervention. They are promoted by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. One critique is that structural adjustment programs cut off social services which burdens the impoverished.

Microfinance

Provides financial services to those who have limited access to traditional banks

Grameen Bank Model

Established by Muhammed Yunus to lend small loans to the poverty stricken. One strength is that they give to people who are in poverty and one critique is that the small loans aren’t enough to lift people out of poverty.

Nepal/Lekai case study

Shows that successful development after a disaster depends on working closely with those who are affected.

How does it illustrate human-centered design?

These projects are created around local needs.