3 - Responding to Poverty in the Light of the Post-Development Debate: Some insights from the NGO Enda Graf Sahel
Corresponding Author(s) : Sally Matthews
Africa Development,
Vol. 31 No. 4 (2006): Africa Development
Abstract
How can we take on board the many valuable insights of post-development theory without seeming to advocate indifference and inaction in the face of the misery that many people in the world experience daily? In this paper, I provide a partial response to this question. I begin by looking at some of the alternative strategies offered in post-development literature and set out to show that while there are several problems with these alternatives, to read post-development theory as advocating indifference or inaction is to read it uncharitably. Sec- ondly, I draw on the experiences of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Enda Graf Sahel in Dakar, Senegal to suggest some ways in which the insights of post-development theory, or some versions of post-development theory, can be taken into consideration without leading to inaction or indifference in the face of the suffering of those who occupy a less advantaged position in contemporary relations of power and privilege.
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- Blaikie, P., 2000, ‘Development, Post-, Anti-, and Populist: A Critical Review’,
- Environment and Planning, 32: 1033-1050.
- De Leener, P., Ndione, E., Perier, J.-P., Jacolin, P., Ndiaye, M., 1999, Pauvreté, décentralisation
- et changement social: eléments pour la reconstruction d’une
- société politique, Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
- Diagne, Y. and Tine, C., 2005, Interview with Yacine Diagne, coordinator of VAF, and Constance
- Tine, coordinator of RAP, 9 August, Dakar, Senegal.
- Diouf, H., 2005, Interview with Hélène Diouf, coordinator of ASFED, 26 July, Dakar, Senegal.
- Dower, N., 1993, ‘The Development Dictionary: A Guide to Knowledge as Power’ (Review),
- Environmental Values 2 (1): 86-88.
- Enda Diapol, 2005, Rapport d’activités 2004, Dakar.
- Enda Graf Sahel, 1996, Cahier de la recherche populaire: apprentissages et créativité sociale, no.
- , Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
- Enda Graf Sahel, 2000, Cahier de la recherche populaire: apprentissages et créativité sociale, no.
- , Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
- Enda Graf Sahel (Emmanuel S. Ndione, Philippe de Leener, Jean-Pierre Périer, Christian Hermelin,
- Pierre Jacolin, Mamadou Ndiaye), 2001, Une Afrique s’invente: recherches populaires et
- apprentissages démocratiques, Paris: Karthala and Dakar Grand Yoff: Enda Graf Sahel.
- Enda Graf Sahel, 2004a, Enda Graf: un réseau d’acteurs en mouvement, Poster, Enda Graf Sahel
- coordinating office, Grand Yoff, Dakar.
- Enda Graf Sahel, 2004b, Enda Graf Sahel: un réseau d’acteurs, une manière de faire, information
- leaflet, Grand Yoff, Dakar.
- Enda Graf Sahel, 2005, La Capitalisation Raf - Orgs: Une volonté commune de partager notre
- expérience: la recherche action formation sur notre propre organisation (DRAFT), notes from a
- series of meetings held in February/ March 2004 at Enda Graf Sahel’s coordinating office in Grand Yoff, Dakar.
- Enda Tiers Monde, 2004, Rapport d’activités 2003. Enda: bâtisseur d’alternatives, Dakar.
- Escobar, A., 1995, Encountering Development: the Making and the Unmaking of the Third World,
- Princeton: Princeton University Press.
- Esteva, G. & Prakash, M. S., 1996, Grassroots Post-Modernism: Beyond Human Rights, the Individual
- Self, the Global Economy, New York: Peter Lang.
- Ferguson, J., 1990, The Anti-Politics Machine: ‘Development’, Depoliticization and Bureaucratic
- Power in Lesotho, Cape Town: David Philip.
- Kiely, R., 1999, ‘The Last Refuge of the Noble Savage? A Critical Assessment of Post-Development
- Theory’, European Journal of Development Research, 11(1): 30-55.
- Latouche, S., 1986, Faut-il Refuser le Développement?, Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.
- Latouche, S., 1993, In the Wake of the Affluent Society: an Exploration of Post- Development,
- translated by O’Connor, M. & Arnoux, R., London & New Jersey: Zed Books.
- Mbaye, F., 2005, Interview with Ferdinand Mbaye, Enda Graim, 29 June, Thiès, Senegal.
- Nanda, M., 1999, ‘Who Needs Post-Development? Discourses of Difference, Green Revolution and
- Agrarian Populism in India’, Journal of Developing Societies,15 (1): 1-31.
- Nanda, M., 2002, ‘Do the Marginalized Valorize the Margins? Exploring the Dangers of Difference’,
- in Saunders, K., Feminist Post-Development Thought, London & New York: Zed.
- Ndiaye, M., 2005, Interview with Mamadou Ndiaye, coordinator of Enda Graf Guediawaye, 19 July,
- Guediawaye, Senegal.
- Ndione, E.- S., 1992, Le don et le recours: ressorts de l’économie urbaine, Dakar: Enda-Editions,
- collection recherches populaires, no. 151-152-153.
- Ndione, E.-S., 1993, Dakar, une société en grappe, Paris: Karthala and Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
- Ndione, E.-S.; de Leener, P.; P., J.-P.; Ndiaye, M. & Jacolin, P., 1994, Réinventer le Présent:
- quelques jalons pour l’action, Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
- Ndione, E.-S.; de Leener, P.; P., J.-P.; Ndiaye, M. & Jacolin, P., 1997, ‘Reinventing the Present:
- the Chodak Experience in Senegal’, in The Post-Development Reader, ed. by M. Rahnema, Cape Town:
- David Philip.
- Nederveen Pieterse, J., 1998, ‘My Paradigm or Yours? Alternative Development, Post-Development,
- Reflexive Development’, Development and Change, 29: 343-373.
- Nederveen Pieterse, J., 2000, ‘After Post-Development’, Third World Quarterly 21 (2): 175-191.
- Rahnema, M. with Bawtree, V., eds., 1997, The Post-Development Reader, Cape Town: David Philip.
- Sachs, W., ed., 1992, The Development Dictionary: A Guide to Knowledge as Power, London: Zed Books.
- Samb, M., 2005, Interview with Mariama Samb, co-ordinator of ComEthic, Enda Graf Sahel, 18 July, Dakar.
- Schuurman, F. J., 2001c, ‘The Nation-State, Emancipatory Spaces and Development Studies in the
- Global Era’, in Schuurman, F.J. ed., Globalization and Development Studies: Challenges for the 21st
- Century, London: SAGE Publications.
- Storey, A., 2000, ‘Post-Development Theory: Romanticism and Pontius Pilate Politics’, Development, 43 (4): 40-46.
- Tiné, V., 2005, Interview with Victor Tiné, research assistant, Enda Graim, 30 June, Thiès, Senegal.
- Touré, B., 2005, Interview with Babacar Touré, vice-coordinator, Enda Graf, 20 June, Dakar.
- Wade, A.D., 2005, Interview with André Demba Wade, co-ordinator of Enda Graim, 30 June, Thiès, Senegal.
- Wade, C., 2005, Interview with Charles Wade, Enda Graim, 30 June, Thiès, Senegal. Yapa, L., 1996,
- ‘What Causes Poverty?: A Postmodern View’, Annals of the
- Association of American Geographers, 86 (4): 707-728.
- Yapa, L., 2002, ‘How the Discipline of Geography Exacerbates Poverty in the Third World’, Futures, 34: 33-46.
- Ziai, A., 2004, ‘The Ambivalence of Post-Development: Between Reactionary
- Populism and Radical Democracy’, Third World Quarterly 25 (6): 1045-1060.
References
Blaikie, P., 2000, ‘Development, Post-, Anti-, and Populist: A Critical Review’,
Environment and Planning, 32: 1033-1050.
De Leener, P., Ndione, E., Perier, J.-P., Jacolin, P., Ndiaye, M., 1999, Pauvreté, décentralisation
et changement social: eléments pour la reconstruction d’une
société politique, Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
Diagne, Y. and Tine, C., 2005, Interview with Yacine Diagne, coordinator of VAF, and Constance
Tine, coordinator of RAP, 9 August, Dakar, Senegal.
Diouf, H., 2005, Interview with Hélène Diouf, coordinator of ASFED, 26 July, Dakar, Senegal.
Dower, N., 1993, ‘The Development Dictionary: A Guide to Knowledge as Power’ (Review),
Environmental Values 2 (1): 86-88.
Enda Diapol, 2005, Rapport d’activités 2004, Dakar.
Enda Graf Sahel, 1996, Cahier de la recherche populaire: apprentissages et créativité sociale, no.
, Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
Enda Graf Sahel, 2000, Cahier de la recherche populaire: apprentissages et créativité sociale, no.
, Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
Enda Graf Sahel (Emmanuel S. Ndione, Philippe de Leener, Jean-Pierre Périer, Christian Hermelin,
Pierre Jacolin, Mamadou Ndiaye), 2001, Une Afrique s’invente: recherches populaires et
apprentissages démocratiques, Paris: Karthala and Dakar Grand Yoff: Enda Graf Sahel.
Enda Graf Sahel, 2004a, Enda Graf: un réseau d’acteurs en mouvement, Poster, Enda Graf Sahel
coordinating office, Grand Yoff, Dakar.
Enda Graf Sahel, 2004b, Enda Graf Sahel: un réseau d’acteurs, une manière de faire, information
leaflet, Grand Yoff, Dakar.
Enda Graf Sahel, 2005, La Capitalisation Raf - Orgs: Une volonté commune de partager notre
expérience: la recherche action formation sur notre propre organisation (DRAFT), notes from a
series of meetings held in February/ March 2004 at Enda Graf Sahel’s coordinating office in Grand Yoff, Dakar.
Enda Tiers Monde, 2004, Rapport d’activités 2003. Enda: bâtisseur d’alternatives, Dakar.
Escobar, A., 1995, Encountering Development: the Making and the Unmaking of the Third World,
Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Esteva, G. & Prakash, M. S., 1996, Grassroots Post-Modernism: Beyond Human Rights, the Individual
Self, the Global Economy, New York: Peter Lang.
Ferguson, J., 1990, The Anti-Politics Machine: ‘Development’, Depoliticization and Bureaucratic
Power in Lesotho, Cape Town: David Philip.
Kiely, R., 1999, ‘The Last Refuge of the Noble Savage? A Critical Assessment of Post-Development
Theory’, European Journal of Development Research, 11(1): 30-55.
Latouche, S., 1986, Faut-il Refuser le Développement?, Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.
Latouche, S., 1993, In the Wake of the Affluent Society: an Exploration of Post- Development,
translated by O’Connor, M. & Arnoux, R., London & New Jersey: Zed Books.
Mbaye, F., 2005, Interview with Ferdinand Mbaye, Enda Graim, 29 June, Thiès, Senegal.
Nanda, M., 1999, ‘Who Needs Post-Development? Discourses of Difference, Green Revolution and
Agrarian Populism in India’, Journal of Developing Societies,15 (1): 1-31.
Nanda, M., 2002, ‘Do the Marginalized Valorize the Margins? Exploring the Dangers of Difference’,
in Saunders, K., Feminist Post-Development Thought, London & New York: Zed.
Ndiaye, M., 2005, Interview with Mamadou Ndiaye, coordinator of Enda Graf Guediawaye, 19 July,
Guediawaye, Senegal.
Ndione, E.- S., 1992, Le don et le recours: ressorts de l’économie urbaine, Dakar: Enda-Editions,
collection recherches populaires, no. 151-152-153.
Ndione, E.-S., 1993, Dakar, une société en grappe, Paris: Karthala and Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
Ndione, E.-S.; de Leener, P.; P., J.-P.; Ndiaye, M. & Jacolin, P., 1994, Réinventer le Présent:
quelques jalons pour l’action, Dakar: Enda Graf Sahel.
Ndione, E.-S.; de Leener, P.; P., J.-P.; Ndiaye, M. & Jacolin, P., 1997, ‘Reinventing the Present:
the Chodak Experience in Senegal’, in The Post-Development Reader, ed. by M. Rahnema, Cape Town:
David Philip.
Nederveen Pieterse, J., 1998, ‘My Paradigm or Yours? Alternative Development, Post-Development,
Reflexive Development’, Development and Change, 29: 343-373.
Nederveen Pieterse, J., 2000, ‘After Post-Development’, Third World Quarterly 21 (2): 175-191.
Rahnema, M. with Bawtree, V., eds., 1997, The Post-Development Reader, Cape Town: David Philip.
Sachs, W., ed., 1992, The Development Dictionary: A Guide to Knowledge as Power, London: Zed Books.
Samb, M., 2005, Interview with Mariama Samb, co-ordinator of ComEthic, Enda Graf Sahel, 18 July, Dakar.
Schuurman, F. J., 2001c, ‘The Nation-State, Emancipatory Spaces and Development Studies in the
Global Era’, in Schuurman, F.J. ed., Globalization and Development Studies: Challenges for the 21st
Century, London: SAGE Publications.
Storey, A., 2000, ‘Post-Development Theory: Romanticism and Pontius Pilate Politics’, Development, 43 (4): 40-46.
Tiné, V., 2005, Interview with Victor Tiné, research assistant, Enda Graim, 30 June, Thiès, Senegal.
Touré, B., 2005, Interview with Babacar Touré, vice-coordinator, Enda Graf, 20 June, Dakar.
Wade, A.D., 2005, Interview with André Demba Wade, co-ordinator of Enda Graim, 30 June, Thiès, Senegal.
Wade, C., 2005, Interview with Charles Wade, Enda Graim, 30 June, Thiès, Senegal. Yapa, L., 1996,
‘What Causes Poverty?: A Postmodern View’, Annals of the
Association of American Geographers, 86 (4): 707-728.
Yapa, L., 2002, ‘How the Discipline of Geography Exacerbates Poverty in the Third World’, Futures, 34: 33-46.
Ziai, A., 2004, ‘The Ambivalence of Post-Development: Between Reactionary
Populism and Radical Democracy’, Third World Quarterly 25 (6): 1045-1060.