What is Development? And Background on the geographical imaginaries of Africa 06/04/09

Today’s schedule Map Quiz Africa News Presentation, Caitlin Alexander What is Development? Africa’s Map Worldviews of Africa 06/04/09

Map Quiz

Africa News Presentation, Caitlin Alexander

What is Development?

Africa’s Map

Worldviews of Africa

What is Development? Marxist roots Rostow’s “Stages of Economic Growth”: Modernization Rodney: “Underdevelopment” and development and dependency Post Modern Development Social Development New categories of Development: MDG and human rights 06/04/09

Marxist roots

Rostow’s “Stages of Economic Growth”: Modernization

Rodney: “Underdevelopment” and development and dependency

Post Modern Development

Social Development

New categories of Development: MDG and human rights

W.W. Rostow: Stages of Economic Growth Capitalist modernist answer to Marxist stages of development Marxist Development(the tribal form->-primitive communism->-feudal or estate property->capitalism->socialism->Communism): http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/engl/theory/marxism/modules/marxstages.html 06/04/09

Capitalist modernist answer to Marxist stages of development

Marxist Development(the tribal form->-primitive communism->-feudal or estate property->capitalism->socialism->Communism): http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/engl/theory/marxism/modules/marxstages.html

W.W. Rostow: Stages of Economic Growth Rostow’s stages Traditional Society Preconditions for Take-Off Take off Drive to Maturity The Age of High Mass Consumption (1950s Suburbia) 06/04/09

Rostow’s stages

Traditional Society

Preconditions for Take-Off

Take off

Drive to Maturity

The Age of High Mass Consumption (1950s Suburbia)

W.W. Rostow: Stages of Economic Growth Traditional Society Resembles early stages of Marx Rooted in the past Food production most dominant economic and labor activity Little societal change or social mobility Power resides with small “feudal landowners” 06/04/09

Traditional Society

Resembles early stages of Marx

Rooted in the past

Food production most dominant economic and labor activity

Little societal change or social mobility

Power resides with small “feudal landowners”

W.W. Rostow: Stages of Economic Growth Preconditions for Take-Off 06/04/09 Build up of social overhead capital most important being transport Agricultural techno revolution Expansion of imports financed by more efficient production and marketing expansion in imports where possible capital imports (foreign exchange)

Preconditions for Take-Off

Build up of social overhead capital most important being transport

Agricultural techno revolution

Expansion of imports financed by more efficient production and marketing expansion in imports where possible capital imports (foreign exchange)

W.W. Rostow: Stages of Economic Growth Take off Rapid growth in specific sector where modern industrial techniques applied Great Britain (19th century) textiles USA, Canada, Russia Railroads How does this apply to development in Africa? 06/04/09

Take off

Rapid growth in specific sector where modern industrial techniques applied

Great Britain (19th century)

textiles

USA, Canada, Russia

Railroads

How does this apply to development in Africa?

W.W. Rostow: Stages of Economic Growth Drive to Maturity Full range of modern technology applied to bulk of resources Different countries at different times 06/04/09

Drive to Maturity

Full range of modern technology applied to bulk of resources

Different countries at different times

W.W. Rostow: Stages of Economic Growth The Age of High Mass Consumption (1950s Suburbia) More leisure among most people Characterized by high per capita income “ modernist utopia” 06/04/09

The Age of High Mass Consumption (1950s Suburbia)

More leisure among most people

Characterized by high per capita income

“ modernist utopia”

Rostow’s Optimism Spurs African Development Global South including newly independent Africa advised to follow this model Africa advised to move toward “take off” Coupled with Marshal Plan Success in Europe, newly independent African states “invaded” by the “Peace Corp” and others in ’60s But why didn’t Africa develop on this model? 06/04/09

Global South including newly independent Africa advised to follow this model

Africa advised to move toward “take off”

Coupled with Marshal Plan Success in Europe, newly independent African states “invaded” by the “Peace Corp” and others in ’60s

But why didn’t Africa develop on this model?

How Europe Underdeveloped Africa: Walter Rodney “ What is underdevelopment?” as opposed to development Africa was on the path to development (Feudal Societies, developing surplus, concentrating wealth, and class development) European directed slave trade under-develops Africa European colonialism further underdeveloped Africa But Rodney still follows “Development Model”. 06/04/09

“ What is underdevelopment?” as opposed to development

Africa was on the path to development (Feudal Societies, developing surplus, concentrating wealth, and class development)

European directed slave trade under-develops Africa

European colonialism further underdeveloped Africa

But Rodney still follows “Development Model”.

Rodney: Slave Trade under-develops Africa Labor needed for further development stolen from continent Local industries destroyed by cheap imports from slave trade Trade develops markets “Out of Africa” instead developing markets across Africa Development destroyed through “slave raiding” conflicts spurring destruction rather than development All profit (Capital) from slave trade reinvested in European metropoles for the Development of Europe and labor develops “Out of Africa” not in Africa 06/04/09

Labor needed for further development stolen from continent

Local industries destroyed by cheap imports from slave trade

Trade develops markets “Out of Africa” instead developing markets across Africa

Development destroyed through “slave raiding” conflicts spurring destruction rather than development

All profit (Capital) from slave trade reinvested in European metropoles for the Development of Europe and labor develops “Out of Africa” not in Africa

Rodney: Colonialism as a system for underdeveloping Africa Africans restricted from certain industries by colonialism and forced to work as labor in primary extraction industries Profits from colonialism reinvested in Europe Colonial educational process fosters underdevelopment of Africa’s intellectual resources and indoctrinated Africans to work for European development at the expense of local development Labor taken away from African development to be wasted on European extraction of wealth from continent Colonial enterprises destroy local industries 06/04/09

Africans restricted from certain industries by colonialism and forced to work as labor in primary extraction industries

Profits from colonialism reinvested in Europe

Colonial educational process fosters underdevelopment of Africa’s intellectual resources and indoctrinated Africans to work for European development at the expense of local development

Labor taken away from African development to be wasted on European extraction of wealth from continent

Colonial enterprises destroy local industries

Rodney: continued Advocates socialist/Marxist development as remedy as Africa already part of capitalist economy (“Dependency theory”) But still works in linear mode of “development” and Compares Africa’s past development achievements to European development paths Remains in realm of macro-theory What about culture? 06/04/09

Advocates socialist/Marxist development as remedy as Africa already part of capitalist economy (“Dependency theory”)

But still works in linear mode of “development” and

Compares Africa’s past development achievements to European development paths

Remains in realm of macro-theory

What about culture?

Yapa: Development socially constructing scarcity Different answers to what causes hunger and ill-health than what causes poverty? Critique of Economism- “people are poor because they do not have enough money to command a market basket of goods, a situation that can be corrected through investment growth, job creation, and education.” limiting model that marginalizes other options 06/04/09

Different answers to what causes hunger and ill-health than what causes poverty?

Critique of Economism- “people are poor because they do not have enough money to command a market basket of goods, a situation that can be corrected through investment growth, job creation, and education.” limiting model that marginalizes other options

Yapa: continuted Critique on concepts of scarcity- defining poverty as economic problem, as a lack of problem, fails to take into account other solutions Critique of development as solution to “underdevelopment” Non-poor/poor, non-problem/problem orientation of development Nexus of relations and seeds example 06/04/09

Critique on concepts of scarcity- defining poverty as economic problem, as a lack of problem, fails to take into account other solutions

Critique of development as solution to “underdevelopment”

Non-poor/poor, non-problem/problem orientation of development

Nexus of relations and seeds example

Redefining Development in new millennium Millennium Development Goals (MDG) (ICON SITE) and Human Rights approaches to development What progress is Africa making in meeting the MDGs? Are the MDGs the right goals? An urban bias? Other critiques? What Suggestions are there to meeting the MDGs? Have we seen this before? 06/04/09

Millennium Development Goals (MDG) (ICON SITE) and Human Rights approaches to development

What progress is Africa making in meeting the MDGs?

Are the MDGs the right goals? An urban bias? Other critiques?

What Suggestions are there to meeting the MDGs?

Have we seen this before?

Human Development Index from other indicators No universal accepted measure of development Most widely used Gross National Income (GNI) Comprehensive Human Development Index (HDI)annually Life expectancy Education Per capita income But national aggregate measures perpetuate vision of development from bounded borders, neglect women’s work, and reflect Western cultural and economic bias 06/04/09

No universal accepted measure of development

Most widely used Gross National Income (GNI)

Comprehensive Human Development Index (HDI)annually

Life expectancy

Education

Per capita income

But national aggregate measures perpetuate vision of development from bounded borders, neglect women’s work, and reflect Western cultural and economic bias

Participatory Development Meant to reverse old development power dynamics by insisting that development be directed from local level with local communities making decisions Past development often done by “outsiders” making decisions without local knowledge or concern for local community In community development the question of who decides in that community remains: the rich or poor, men or women. Questions of Human Rights arise 06/04/09

Meant to reverse old development power dynamics by insisting that development be directed from local level with local communities making decisions

Past development often done by “outsiders” making decisions without local knowledge or concern for local community

In community development the question of who decides in that community remains: the rich or poor, men or women.

Questions of Human Rights arise

Human Rights Approach to Development Promotion of economic/social and 3 rd generation development rights under taken by Care Int’l and Oxfam Traditional Human Rights NGOS like AI take on economic social and development rights 2001 2000 UNDP included HR in human development report Using ICCPR and ICESCR to inform and evaluate allocation of development resources for NGOs, http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_cescr.htm Collaboration between rights and relief (world vision-conflict diamonds, Sierra Club-Ken Sara-Wiva) Right to water in face of privatization Role of Geography: Human->econ->environmental impact 06/04/09

Promotion of economic/social and 3 rd generation development rights under taken by Care Int’l and Oxfam

Traditional Human Rights NGOS like AI take on economic social and development rights 2001

2000 UNDP included HR in human development report

Using ICCPR and ICESCR to inform and evaluate allocation of development resources for NGOs,

http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm

http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_cescr.htm

Collaboration between rights and relief (world vision-conflict diamonds, Sierra Club-Ken Sara-Wiva)

Right to water in face of privatization

Role of Geography: Human->econ->environmental impact

Map of Africa Western/American ignorance toward the continent A Southern continent appears small on Mercator projection “ Carved up” Fragmented political Geography ie Gambia Spatially uneven Development p20, 23 Landlocked states p21 06/04/09

Western/American ignorance toward the continent

A Southern continent appears small on Mercator projection

“ Carved up” Fragmented political Geography ie Gambia

Spatially uneven Development p20, 23

Landlocked states p21

Map of Africa Political Groupings (24-25) All part of AU formerly OAU All but Morocco ECOWAS-econ community of west Africa SADC –southern Africa East African Union Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, And now Rwanda and Burundi 06/04/09

Political Groupings (24-25)

All part of AU formerly OAU

All but Morocco

ECOWAS-econ community of west Africa

SADC –southern Africa

East African Union

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda,

And now Rwanda and Burundi

Map of Africa Post/neo Colonial Groupings Commonwealth of Nations (British) La Francophonie Lusophone Africa Shared language but not a formal political grouping 06/04/09

Post/neo Colonial Groupings

Commonwealth of Nations (British)

La Francophonie

Lusophone Africa

Shared language but not a formal political grouping

Regional Groupings West Africa Sahel Horn East Africa Southern Africa West Central Africa 06/04/09

West Africa

Sahel

Horn

East Africa

Southern Africa

West Central Africa

African Orientatlism: Unlearning Europe’s Geographical imagination Orientalism European “Explorers” Your exposure to Africa White Man’s burden Africa and Hollywood Tragic Press coverage 06/04/09

Orientalism

European “Explorers”

Your exposure to Africa

White Man’s burden

Africa and Hollywood

Tragic Press coverage

Orientalism Edward Said Images of exotic, inferior, mysterious deviant and often dangerous Sense of superiority instrumental to colonizing project Solely from the perspective of western scholars, travelers and officials about the “orient”, colonilized south and east. Occident vs. Orient 06/04/09

Edward Said

Images of exotic, inferior, mysterious deviant and often dangerous

Sense of superiority instrumental to colonizing project

Solely from the perspective of western scholars, travelers and officials about the “orient”, colonilized south and east.

Occident vs. Orient

What is your Africa view? 06/04/09

European “Explorers” “ Discoveries of Geographers such explorers such as Livingstone, Barth, and Stanely Roosevelt’s Game hunting Focus on the wild, dangerous, primitive, exotic, diseased, native “dark continent” or focus on wildlife instead of people http://www.magicalkenya.com/ Neglected to inform: rich interconnected complicated culture, the churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia or the Great Zimbabwe http://www.galenfrysinger.com/lalibela_ethiopia.htm 06/04/09

“ Discoveries of Geographers such explorers such as Livingstone, Barth, and Stanely

Roosevelt’s Game hunting

Focus on the wild, dangerous, primitive, exotic, diseased, native “dark continent” or focus on wildlife instead of people

http://www.magicalkenya.com/

Neglected to inform: rich interconnected complicated culture, the churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia or the Great Zimbabwe

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/lalibela_ethiopia.htm

White Man’s Burden European bringers of “Good News” and “Civilization” Teaching discipline and work Unclothed to clothed Today popular image of passive African victims helped by active westerners in western popular imagination “ Legacy of fundraising” 06/04/09

European bringers of “Good News” and “Civilization”

Teaching discipline and work

Unclothed to clothed

Today popular image of passive African victims helped by active westerners in western popular imagination

“ Legacy of fundraising”

Hollywood’s African Geography Exotic Animals with white main characters African Queen, Tarzan, “Out of Africa” Recently trend continues Blood Diamonds Last King of Scotland 06/04/09

Exotic Animals with white main characters

African Queen, Tarzan, “Out of Africa”

Recently trend continues

Blood Diamonds

Last King of Scotland

Tragic Africa: Media representation Your hear, see, and read about Famine War Genocide corruption Presence of whites increases likelihood of story being told 06/04/09

Your hear, see, and read about

Famine

War

Genocide

corruption

Presence of whites increases likelihood of story being told

Tragic Africa: continued You don’t hear about success Indigenous Knowledge Kenya and Uganda’s HIV decline Uganda’s economic recovery Botswana's economic growth and recovery Africa self-reliance, self sufficiency and role of Africa’s Diaspora in development Good things the exception not the norm South Africa’s successful reconciliation Media and Africanist literature Afro-pessimism often with Africans as passive victims waiting for white saviors 06/04/09

You don’t hear about success

Indigenous Knowledge

Kenya and Uganda’s HIV decline

Uganda’s economic recovery

Botswana's economic growth and recovery

Africa self-reliance, self sufficiency and role of Africa’s Diaspora in development

Good things the exception not the norm

South Africa’s successful reconciliation

Media and Africanist literature Afro-pessimism often with Africans as passive victims waiting for white saviors

Afro-centrism Historic portrays of African sources in human civilization; looking at the world through a African-centered world instead of Eurocentric world Emphasis on Nubian/Egyptian civilization, Great Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, ancient Ghana, Panafrican view Decolonizing the mind Ngugi wa Thiongo What about culture in these representations? 06/04/09

Historic portrays of African sources in human civilization; looking at the world through a African-centered world instead of Eurocentric world

Emphasis on Nubian/Egyptian civilization, Great Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, ancient Ghana,

Panafrican view

Decolonizing the mind Ngugi wa Thiongo

What about culture in these representations?

Discovering Indigenous Knowledge Previous research spoke out how to wipe out harmful traditional practices There never was traditional only indigenous New systems of IK working to build upon and preserve IK for development: Warren at IA state Kicards across the continent Shift in policy rhetoric from WB in IK publications for development Who owns IK? And what about human rights? 06/04/09

Previous research spoke out how to wipe out harmful traditional practices

There never was traditional only indigenous

New systems of IK working to build upon and preserve IK for development:

Warren at IA state Kicards across the continent

Shift in policy rhetoric from WB in IK publications for development

Who owns IK? And what about human rights?