Culture and Development
Culture and Development
Three Caveats of Culture
Thierry Verhelst and Wendy Tyndale “culture and development.”
In the 1998 overview paper by Mervyn Caxton, he highlights the confusion that exists between “culture” in its humanistic, artistic sense and “culture” in its broader, anthropological sense, as well as between “cultural development per se” and the concept of “culture and development.” Thierry Verhelst and Wendy Tyndale would agree with Caxton’s argument that “[all] models of development are essentially cultural.”
Culture is not, therefore, an optional add-on in development, nor is it something that an agency can incorporate to merely avoid worsening the situation of the most vulnerable. Rather, development itself is a cultural construct, forming the basis for intercultural engagement, though typically on unequal terms.
Caxton (2000: 26-27) elaborates:“When a people faces challenges from the environment that require responses and solutions, one of the functions of culture is to provide criteria that enable a selection between alternative solutions. This essential role of culture is compromised when the criteria used are external to the culture itself.” This is what happens when external development models are exclusively relied upon.
He continues:“A society’s creative genius and its cultural identity are expressed in a tangible, practical manner through how it addresses its challenges.”
As expressed by the leaders of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde: “Our countries are economically backward. Our peoples are at a specific historical stage, marked by the backward condition of our economy. We must be aware of this. We are African peoples; we have not invented many things, we have no large factories, but we have our own hearts, our own minds, and our own history. It is this history that colonists have taken from us. The colonialists often claim they brought us into history, but today we assert that they did not. They made us leave history, our history.
Culture should not be romanticized:
No culture is ideal, nor is any culture static. All cultures must evolve in our rapidly changing world. While many cultures may need radical challenges, changes, and a greater sense of balance, these transformations can only come from within, as no external view can ever be entirely “right” or permanent. Gender issues, for example, show rapid cultural change in Western societies, and these views themselves are still evolving.
A notable example of cultural change can be found in certain African communities, where villagers united to stop harmful traditional practices. The support of a respected imam and the removal of key incentives for maintaining these practices led to a shift in attitudes toward marriage conditions, enabling change without jeopardizing the villagers’ future security. This transformation occurred through local leadership and conviction.
Culture should not be isolated from economics and power relations:
Culture, economics, and power are interlinked and influence each other. Culture is not a force that hovers above people’s lives, determining them indefinitely. Cultures shape local economies, which in turn influence cultural development, all within a context of power dynamics and technological advancements.
Beware of generalizations about “a people” or “a community”: Within any culture, subcultures exist and must be considered to avoid erroneous generalizations.
Relationship between culture and development in bullet points:
- Globalization and Market Growth:
Globalization is driven by economic growth and market supremacy.
The increasing dominance of multinational corporations is prompting a desire for societies based on different values.
George Soros argues that markets, while suited for private interests, are not designed for the common good.
2. Freedom and Market Control:
Amartya Sen suggests the goal of development should be freedom, not just economic growth.There is a clash between human freedom and market freedom, with profit maximization often overpowering efforts for human flourishing and autonomy.
3. Cultural Resistance to Material Progress:
A purely material definition of ‘progress’ is foreign to many people around the world.
Development focused solely on materialism will be resisted by those who find meaning in spiritual beliefs and holistic views of life.
Development that ignores cultural values and spiritual well-being is doomed to failure.
4. The Economics of Justice:
Mahatma Gandhi emphasized that true economics is grounded in justice, not just wealth accumulation.
Religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism) all teach that materialism and greed lead to suffering, and wealth should be shared for social justice.
A humane global system must prioritize social justice, environmental balance, and spiritual depth over profit.
5. Cultural Diversity in Globalization:
While globalization often leads to cultural homogeneity, it also offers an opportunity to promote cultural diversity.
Global communication allows people to learn from each other, fostering intercultural understanding.
The Baha’i faith highlights the need to balance globalization with decentralization and universal standards with respect for cultural diversity.
6. Culture’s Role in Adaptation and Creativity:
Cultures thrive when they are adaptive and creative, selecting and filtering external influences.
The strength of a culture lies in its ability to foster self-respect, resist exploitation, and provide meaning to people’s lives.
Culture is inherently linked to spirituality, as it shapes how people understand life, death, joy, and pain.
7. Dimensions of Culture:
Culture includes three dimensions: symbolic (values, religion, spirituality), societal (organizational patterns, political systems), and technological (skills, technology, agriculture).
These dimensions often overlap in areas like art, law, and language.
8. Culture is Dynamic and Evolving:
Culture evolves in response to external influences and innovations, with some elements inherited and others created.
A working definition of culture is a “complex whole” of knowledge, wisdom, values, and resources that a community has inherited, adopted, or created.
9. Culture’s Central Role in Development:
Culture is not just a superficial add-on to development but is deeply intertwined with all aspects of life, influencing local perceptions of the “good life.”
Development models that ignore culture risk failure, as culture is the foundation of social life and meaningful progress.
Cultural revitalization is key to development, fostering self-confidence and mutual respect, which can lead to better governance, economic effectiveness, and sustainable poverty reduction.
10. Cultural Sensitivity in Education:
Development processes must be embedded in local cultures to succeed, or they risk leading to “de-development.”
Education systems often fail to address local needs, leading to low school attendance and a mismatch between learned knowledge and practical application.
A culture-sensitive approach to curriculum planning (e.g., teaching in local languages, emphasizing regional history and technical skills) can foster community engagement and development.
11. Case Example: FUNDAEC in Colombia:
FUNDAEC’s University for Integral Development exemplifies a culture-sensitive approach to development.
The university focuses on alternative production systems, appropriate education, and strengthening local economies, all tailored to local cultural and social contexts.
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