synonymHuman Development(Human development science) generally refers to developmental anthropology
Development anthropologyAnthropologyThe idea applies to this interdisciplinary branch of development research.Development anthropology regards international development and international aid as the main research topics.In this branch of anthropology, the term development refers to the spontaneous production of different actorssocial action These actors include institutions, enterprises, organizations, countries and independent volunteers who try to improve the economy in certain parts of the worldtechnology, political or (and) social life, especially indeveloping country。
Development Anthropology It refers to a knowledge that combines theoretical criticism with practical application.As far as its content and topic are concerned, this knowledge reflects two related but different ideas, models and styles of development research in the international academic community.First, we can regard developmental anthropology as a main branch of applied anthropology.Like other experts and scholars who use anthropological perspectives and methods to solve practical problems, development anthropologists use fieldwork as the main means of investigation to judge, confirm and analyze the degree of correlation between culture and development in different scenarios, and on this basis, obtain local knowledge and experience, so as to provide basis, information and suggestions for policymakers to refer to and learn from.This kind of development anthropology, which emphasizes "learning for application", is expressed as "development anthropology" in the English languageApplied anthropologyDevelopment anthropologists are employed by international organizations including foundations in Europe and the United States and the World Bank to study and explore the constraints of social and cultural factors in the project implementation process by giving full play to their own academic expertise, thus helpingThird World CountriesAnd solve practical problems encountered in economic construction.
For developmental anthropology, development is neither a goal, an ideal nor a failure.Development is a research topic (a reader's note: many development anthropologists may refute this statement, and clearly express that they put forward criticisms and contributions to development on the one hand; however, some theorists have clearly divided "anthropological development research", "anthropology of development" (in which development is a research topic) and "development anthropology"'development anthropology '(as an application practice), which is gradually regarded as a stale idea (see Escobar, 1997,in Edelman and Haugerud, 2005:40)）。In the research of this field, anthropologists can describe, analyze and understand various development actions taken and occurred in a particular place.What we need to examine is the impact of these actions on local people, the natural environment, social life and economic life.
Development Anthropology as a Branch of Anthropology
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Looking back on the development of anthropology in the past 100 years, it is not difficult to find thatenlightenment campaign、industrial revolutionDisciplines that are inextricably linked with colonial expansion actively participated in the academic debate on the law of human development at the beginning, and also built the most influential theoretical system of anthropology on modern society and humanities - social evolution theory.It can be said that even today in the 21st century, when the academic circles at home and abroad have entered the era of postmodern discourse full of "reflective development", the academic hypothesis behind the theory of development stages, as well as the scale and framework set to measure and analyze the degree of development, all reflectSocial evolutionismIt has great influence on contemporary academia and decision-making departments.On the other hand, we should also see that various theoretical schools and ideological trends of anthropology in the 20th century, such as new evolutionismcultural materialism 、Cultural RelativityStructural functionalism, post colonialism and so on have played an important role in rethinking the meaning of "progress" and adjusting the perspective and thinking in time for development researchers when observing the process of practical problems.Therefore, "anthropology for development", characterized by academic speculation, has become an important part of the teaching and research system in European and American universities and academic institutions in the post-modern and global context, which can also be said to be a historical necessity.
On "Development Anthropology" from "Introduction to Development Anthropology"
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stayPan TianshuWritten by professor《Introduction to Development Anthropology》In the book, development anthropology can also be described as "anthropology for development" (in English, it means "the anthropology of development").In the specific context of this book, this kind of anthropology with a strong sense of pedantry and post-modern brand is an anthropology that takes the development field itself, specific development projects, international development organizations, and even experts engaged in development as the objects of observation, research and criticism.Different from conventional developmental anthropology, "Anthropology for Development" strives to provide critical texts aimed at rethinking the theory and practice of development through the deconstruction of "development" discourse and the analysis of the development process.In the academic research and daily teaching of European and American universities, most of the development anthropologists who are guided by academic discussion have long experience of field work.They writeEthnographyWith the help of specific case studies, it reveals how development projects have evolved into bureaucratic management machines with the function of instrumental rationality in the actual operation process, so that the power representing the interests of the government and international organizations can freely penetrate and interfere in local social and economic life, thusLocal culture, social structure and relationship bring unexpected consequences and impacts.Different from the development anthropologists employed by specific organizations and departments, these scholars who carry out the research of "anthropology for development" in the ivory tower mainly write books and teach courses, and have the identity of independent observers and critics.
Development Review
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MostDevelopment AnthropologistCriticize the development work since the 1960s.They accused different institutions of considering only a small part of the lives of local people without analyzing the greater consequences.Moreover, in anthropology, international development is often regarded as the era of colonialism orPost colonialismAn extension of.Some scholars, such as Arturo Escobar, even regard international development as a means used by the West to maintain control over the resources of former colonies.In fact, from 1945 to 1960, the former colonies were going through the era of de colonization, and the development plan helped maintain the dependence of the Third World on the old suzerain.This view is strongly supported by dependency theory.In general, the development plan is seen as a work of modernization and the eradication of indigenous culture.Many anthropologists also pointed out that some development work tends to try to carry out non political changes, which is by focusing on instrumental assistance (such as building a school), rather than on the various objective conditions that lead to the failure of this development, or on what the school might teach (or not teach).In this sense, the statement that the international development work promoted by countries is regarded as a helper only points out the symptoms, but not the reasons.
What are development anthropologists
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Generally speaking, development anthropologists are scholars and teachers who focus on teaching and publishing works.In fact, development anthropologists are more likely to be experts and capable people directly engaged in development practice.The increasing popularity of field work methods in anthropology, marked by participatory observation, has enabled development anthropology, as an applied discipline, to survive in the real world outside the ivory tower and be widely recognized.People who have been trained in anthropology have a completely different vision from economists and engineering technicians when they observe, diagnose and confirm the application value of a development project in the process of economic construction.In other words, the unique advantages of development anthropologists in knowledge reserves and research methodology ultimately determine the value and position of anthropology in applied practice.
On the other hand, some anthropologists directly contribute to the field of development planning.They put their views on development into practical use.This method is different from economists in some fields.Economists examine overall data, such as gross national product and average national income, as well as data on income distribution and equality in a society.Anthropology can provide a more detailed analysis of the qualitative data behind these data, such as the nature of these social groups involved in development plans, and the social significance of income distribution status.Therefore, development anthropologists often deal with the assessment of some important qualitative aspects of development, which is often ignored by the orientation of economic research.
