"Arguably, development theory is underestimated in social science. The notion that development theory counts for less because it concerns ‘merely the south’ while major developments in social theory are spearheaded by the west reflects a deep-seated prejudice. It reflects a (neo)colonial division of labour in the production of knowledge according to which theory is gener- ated in the north and data, like raw materials, are produced in the south (Pletsch 1981, Slater 2004). In this schema the advanced societies are supposed to be the mirror and guide for less-developed societies. This cogni- tive colonialism is passé on several counts. This kind of unilinear thinking is no longer plausible. Besides, development knowledge is increasingly relevant also in the north. The conventional distinction between developing and developed societies is less and less relevant – the ‘south’ is in the ‘north’ and vice versa. With the decline of welfare economies there is increasing polariza- tion within countries on account of shrinking public services. In the United States and the UK there is mention of ‘two-thirds societies’. Social exclusion nowadays is a problem that is common to north and south, east and west".
Jan N. Pierterse
Development Theory
Second edition
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