Postdevelopment Theory

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Postdevelopment is a development theory arising in the 1980's that holds that all 'development' is a reflection of Western/Northern hegemony over the rest of the world. Thus, it concludes that the best way to develop 'underdeveloped' areas is to withdraw all trappings of Western society and culture from them.

The logic behind postdevelopment refers to development as both on the ground development and development theory, and follows as such: Development theory is held to be generated by academia in tandem with political ideology. The academic-political nature of development theory means it tends to be policy oriented, problem driven, but efficacious relative to most social theory. On the ground development is initiated by both governments and NGO's according to the advice of development theory. But development theory needs to follow framework set in place by government and political culture. There is then a strong socially constructed aspect to development theory; where Western interests are guiding how that knowledge is generated. This would mean that development reflects a pattern of Western hegemony.

Opposing theories to postdevelopment are Modernization Theory and Neoliberalism