TY - JOUR

T1 - Ruins and Rhythms of Life and Development after Progress

AU - Krøijer, Stine

AU - Kolling, Marie

AU - Sen, Atreyee

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Since the rise of capitalist modernity, communities across the world have been convinced by the potential of development and progress. This article steps aside from the idea of continuous and unilinear change, and examines contemporaryafterlives of broken developmentalist dreams. By assembling ethnographies from countries politically defined as growth-engines in three different regions of the world (Brazil, Germany and India), we propose that development no longer inspires the same aspirations about progress. By exploring how material decay and shattered expectations become intimately woven into the everyday experiences of local opulations, we show how the ruinous effects of pursuing economic growth leaves ordinary people to a life on their own terms. At this current historical juncture, we argue for the analytical productiveness of exploring ‘the after’ rather than ‘the otherwise’. This is pursued through an interrogation of the irregular rhythms of ‘life after progress’.

AB - Since the rise of capitalist modernity, communities across the world have been convinced by the potential of development and progress. This article steps aside from the idea of continuous and unilinear change, and examines contemporaryafterlives of broken developmentalist dreams. By assembling ethnographies from countries politically defined as growth-engines in three different regions of the world (Brazil, Germany and India), we propose that development no longer inspires the same aspirations about progress. By exploring how material decay and shattered expectations become intimately woven into the everyday experiences of local opulations, we show how the ruinous effects of pursuing economic growth leaves ordinary people to a life on their own terms. At this current historical juncture, we argue for the analytical productiveness of exploring ‘the after’ rather than ‘the otherwise’. This is pursued through an interrogation of the irregular rhythms of ‘life after progress’.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Progress

KW - ruination

KW - disillusionment

KW - development theory

U2 - 10.1080/00141844.2020.1725092

DO - 10.1080/00141844.2020.1725092

M3 - Journal article

VL - 86

SP - 877

EP - 896

JO - Ethnos. Journal of Anthropology

JF - Ethnos. Journal of Anthropology

SN - 1469-588X

IS - 5

ER -