Geography of development: development, civil society and inequality – social capital is (almost) dead?

• Published in: Progress in human geography Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 517 - 527
• Main Author: Radcliffe, Sarah A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Publications 01.08.2004; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Civil Society; Collective Action; Cultural Capital; Development; Development economics; Economic Development; Geography; Human geography; Inequality; Nation states; Neoliberalism; Politics; Social capital; State Society Relationship
• ISSN: 0309-1325; 1477-0288
• DOI: 10.1191/0309132504ph500pr

A progress report on the geography of development focuses on the role of "social capital." While some academic commentators view social capital thinking as a "cover for anti-state neoliberalism," others see it as an "attempt by development reformists to take civil actors seriously as a bulwark against leave-it-to-the-market neoclassical economists." The tendency toward a "conservative-populist" interpretation of the role of civil society in much current policy literature is noted, along with hostility or indifference toward the notion of social capital on the part of many government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, & policy-making circuits. The location of civil society/social capital discussions within a wider debate about the direction of development studies is explored, along with increased interest in Robert Putnam's concept of civil associations & collective action. Lesson learned from the civil society debates are pointed out. Special attention is given to the recent focus on the relationship between civil society & the state, & new insights related to gendered & racialized aspects of that relationship. 57 References. J. Lindroth