Economic Development, Social Identity and Community Empowerment in the Central and Western Amazon

• Published in: Geographical research Vol. 48; no. 3; pp. 281 - 296
• Main Authors: DE SOUZA MELLO BICALHO, ANA MARIA, HOEFLE, SCOTT WILLIAM
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Publishing Asia 01.08.2010
• Subjects: Agriculture; Amazon; American Indians; Brazil; Community Development; community empowerment; Economic Development; Empowerment; Indigenous peoples; Local communities; multi-scalar politics; Peasantry; Peasants; Political participation; Population movement; Regional Development; Settlers; Social identity; South America: Economic conditions; South America: Social conditions; South Amerindians
• ISSN: 1745-5863; 1745-5871
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-5871.2009.00626.x

A multi‐dimensional and multi‐scalar perspective is used to contrast different experiences with community development involving new settlers, the historic riverine peasantry and Amerindians on and beyond the advancing frontier in the Brazilian Amazon. Local development is shown to occur only when a compromise is reached between the economic development of individual farmers, common social background and community political empowerment. However, the local development of communities does not necessarily result in regional development because contradictions present between political actors can cancel out gains in one dimension or scale vis‐à‐vis others and so frustrate wider processes.