Feminism/ Postmodernism/ Development (Routledge International Studies of Women and Place)

In a world where global restructuring is leading to both integration and fragmentation, the meaning and practice of development are increasingly contested. New voices from the South are challenging Northern control over development. Feminism/Postmodernism/Development is a comprehensive study of this power struggle. It examines new issues, "voices", and dilemmas in development theory and practice. Drawing on the experiences of women from Africa, Latin America, and Asia, as well as women of colour, this collection questions established development practices and suggests the need to incorporate issues such as identity, representation, indigenous knowledge, and political action. Feminism/Postmodernism/Development acknowledges the importance of Third World and minority women's experiences. It acknowledges their importance for development and suggests that postmodernist insights can enhance their quest for empowerment Feminism/postmodernism/development Takes Current Postmodernist Critiques Of Modernity, Postmodern Feminist Concerns With Representation Of Third World Women And The Possibilities For Postmodern Feminist Political Action One Step Further By Emphasizing Their Intersections And Exploring New Directions And Themes. Drawing On The Experiences Of Third World Women And Women Of Color, This Collection Challenges The Ongoing Reliance On Dualities And Explores The New Issues, Voices, And Dilemmas In Development Theory And Practice. The Book Identifies Various Parallel Processes Affecting Minority And Third World Women, Resulting In Negative Representations And Silencing Of Their Development Expertise In Favor Of The Supposed Expert Knowledge Of Western Development Specialists. Using Case Studies Of Women In Africa, Latin America And Asia, As Well As Women Of Color, The Collection Suggests The Gap Between Local Development Knowledge And Western Development Expertise Can Be (and Is Sometimes) Bridged In Practice. The Concern Is To Challenge The Orientalist Representations Of Third World And Minority Women As Well As The Silencing Of Their Development Expertise, By Exploring How Development Theory And Practice Can Be Transformed To Reflect Their Experiences, Knowledges And Political Mobilizations. Feminism/postmodernism/development Brings Postmodern Questions To The Field Of Gender And Development, And Not Only Acknowledges The Importance Of Third World And Minority Women's Experiences In Development Issues, But Also Attempts To Identify Conditions For A More Open And Inclusive Approach To Gender And Development. Engendering Development / Geeta Chowdry -- Women And Development / Mitu Hirshman -- Latin American Women Speak On Development / Marianne H. Marchand -- The Construction Of Marginal Identities / Catherine Raissiguier -- Gender, History And Imperialism / Julia V. Emberly -- Coping With Marginality / Suresht R. Bald -- Women And Democratization Struggles In Africa / Maria Nzomo -- Postmodernist Feminist Theorizing And Development Policy And Practice In The Anglophone Caribbean / Eudine Barriteau. Challenging Modernization / Mridula Udayagiri -- Women In Rural Producer Groups And The Diverse Politics Of Truth In Zimbabwe / Christine Sylvester -- Gender And Development In Action / Eva M. Rathgeber -- Deconstructing The Development Expert / Jane L. Parpart. Edited By Marianne H. Marchand And Jane L. Parpart. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Notes on contributors......Page 10 List of acronyms......Page 13 Exploding the Canon: An Introduction/Conclusion......Page 16 (Neo-)colonial Discourse(s) and the Representation of Third World Women as the ~Other~......Page 38 ENGENDERING DEVELOPMENT? WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT (WID) IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT REGIMES......Page 41 WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT: A CRITIQUE......Page 57 LATIN AMERICAN WOMEN SPEAK ON DEVELOPMENT: ARE WE LISTENING YET?......Page 71 Women of Color: Representation and the Social Construction of Identity......Page 88 THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARGINAL IDENTITIES: WORKING-CLASS GIRLS OF ALGERIAN DESCENT IN A FRENCH SCHOOL......Page 94 GENDER, HISTORY AND IMPERIALISM: ANNE WHEELER'S LOYALTIES......Page 109 COPING WITH MARGINALITY: SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN MIGRANTS IN BRITAIN......Page 125 The Relevance of Postmodern Feminism for Gender and Development......Page 142 WOMEN AND DEMOCRATIZATION STRUGGLES IN AFRICA: WHAT RELEVANCE TO POST-MODERNIST DISCOURSE?......Page 146 POSTMODERNIST FEMINIST THEORIZING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND PRACTICE IN THE ANGLOPHONE CARIBBEAN: THE BARBADOS CASE......Page 157 CHALLENGING MODERNIZATION: GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT, POSTMODERN FEMINISM AND ACTIVISM......Page 174 Knowledge, Development and Praxis......Page 194 ~WOMEN~ IN RURAL PRODUCER GROUPS AND THE DIVERSE POLITICS OF TRUTH IN ZIMBABWE......Page 197 GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION......Page 219 DECONSTRUCTING THE DEVELOPMENT ~EXPERT~: GENDER, DEVELOPMENT AND THE ~VULNERABLE GROUPS~......Page 236 Glossary......Page 259 Bibliography......Page 262 Index......Page 286 Social Sciences Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 Acknowledgements 8 Notes on contributors 10 List of acronyms 13 Exploding the Canon: An Introduction/Conclusion 16 (Neo-)colonial Discourse(s) and the Representation of Third World Women as the ~Other~ 38 ENGENDERING DEVELOPMENT? WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT (WID) IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT REGIMES 41 WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT: A CRITIQUE 57 LATIN AMERICAN WOMEN SPEAK ON DEVELOPMENT: ARE WE LISTENING YET? 71 Women of Color: Representation and the Social Construction of Identity 88 THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARGINAL IDENTITIES: WORKING-CLASS GIRLS OF ALGERIAN DESCENT IN A FRENCH SCHOOL 94 GENDER, HISTORY AND IMPERIALISM: ANNE WHEELER'S LOYALTIES 109 COPING WITH MARGINALITY: SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN MIGRANTS IN BRITAIN 125 The Relevance of Postmodern Feminism for Gender and Development 142 WOMEN AND DEMOCRATIZATION STRUGGLES IN AFRICA: WHAT RELEVANCE TO POST-MODERNIST DISCOURSE? 146 POSTMODERNIST FEMINIST THEORIZING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND PRACTICE IN THE ANGLOPHONE CARIBBEAN: THE BARBADOS CASE 157 CHALLENGING MODERNIZATION: GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT, POSTMODERN FEMINISM AND ACTIVISM 174 Knowledge, Development and Praxis 194 ~WOMEN~ IN RURAL PRODUCER GROUPS AND THE DIVERSE POLITICS OF TRUTH IN ZIMBABWE 197 GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION 219 DECONSTRUCTING THE DEVELOPMENT ~EXPERT~: GENDER, DEVELOPMENT AND THE ~VULNERABLE GROUPS~ 236 Glossary 259 Bibliography 262 Index 286 Drawing on the experiences of women from Africa, Latin America and Asia, this book challenges traditional development practices of North over South, arguing for the inclusion of issues such as identity and political action as the way forward.