Arturo Escobar’s Ethnographic Model and the Discourse of Development in the Global South
Arturo Escobar’s Ethnographic Model and the Discourse of Development in the Global South

Summary/Abstract: The thrust of this paper will be to succinctly discuss the ethnographic model propounded by Arturo Escobar, which had been projected towards the understanding of development both in its theoretical and practical approaches among societies of the Global South. This analysis, will first examine the issue of development as seen from the template of market forces, which the Bretton Woods institiutions had subjected developing Global South societies to, in the quest for development. They (Bretton Woods institutions) emphasised economism, which is a uni-dimensional idea and approach to development that gives primacy to individualism, market liberalisation, and material aspect of development at the expense of culture of the people. On this, Escobar argues that societies of the Global South should be allowed to pursue their own development as they deem fit without the influence(s) of the Global North. Hence, it is expected that this paper will initiate a new understanding of how development should be understood and practised, from the stand-point of Arturo Escobar, among the societies of the Global South. This is projected towards the acceptance of localised understanding of models, which will solve the problems of the people that want to be ‘developed’ in accordance with and to their plans and interests.

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