Placing social development at the centre of Africa’s economic growth and livelihoods nexus
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Date
2015
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Abstract
Introduction
A major characteristic of the interdisciplinary field of development studies since its
establishment in the 1940s has been a series of sea-level changes in analytical thinking
about the process of development itself (Potter et al. 2004). This search for new theo-
retical conceptualisations of development has been mirrored by changes in the practice
of development in the field. As such, there has been much debate and controversy
about development, with many changing views and highly contested strategies. How-
ever, the dominant view for the last couple of years has been that social development in
Africa has been side-lined to economic growth (Desai and Potter 2011). This chapter
provides a deep discussion while drawing on examples from the existing literature on
social development and economic growth.
Development as a general term has been interpreted into two ways. One is econom-
ically orientated, dealing mostly with economic structures, and the other is social, fo-
cusing on improving the capabilities of people’s daily lives and their well-being (Crush
1995). The economic interpretation follows the framework that assumes the behaviour
of the individual to be rational, self-interested and market oriented. The hypothesis is
that these individuals live outside historical, social and geographical contexts (Piron
2004), and as a result, the conditions of development in some developing countries go
unrecognised. Despite efforts to enhance social policy in African states, economic cri-
teria continue to dominate policy design, as is the case in many developing countries.
This brings challenges regarding models of development, partly a result of structural
adjustment economic reforms that increased their influence in development policy
processes. This made the reforms extend from managing resources and ensuring finan-
cial practicability, to establishing the strategic directions for medium and long term
growth (Sen 2000)
Description
Book chapter in CONTEMPORARY CONCERNS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES:
PERSPECTIVES FROM TANZANIA AND ZAMBIA: Development Concerns in Development Studies: Perspectives of Tanzania and Zambia Pg 116 – 255.
Keywords
Social Development, Centre of Africa’s Economic Growth, Livelihoods Promotion, Economic Growth