Title
The AntiPolitics Machine: Development, Depoliticization, and Bureaucratic Power in Lesotho,Used
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Development, it is generally assumed, is good and necessary, and in its name the West has intervened, implementing all manner of projects in the impoverished regions of the world. When these projects fail, as they do with astonishing regularity, they nonetheless produce a host of regular and unacknowledged effects, including the expansion of bureaucratic state power and the translation of the political realities of poverty and powerlessness into 'technical' problems awaiting solution by 'development' agencies and experts. It is the political intelligibility of these effects, along with the process that produces them, that this book seeks to illuminate through a detailed case study of the workings of the 'development' industry in one country, Lesotho, and in one 'development' project.Using an anthropological approach grounded in the work of Foucault, James Ferguson analyzes the institutional framework within which such projects are crafted and the nature of 'development discourse,' revealing how it is that, despite all the 'expertise' that goes into formulating development projects, they nonetheless often demonstrate a startling ignorance of the historical and political realities of the locale they are intended to help. In a close examination of the attempted implementation of the ThabaTseka project in Lesotho, Ferguson shows how such a misguided approach plays out, how, in fact, the 'development' apparatus in Lesotho acts as an 'antipolitics machine,' everywhere whisking political realities out of sight and all the while performing, almost unnoticed, its own preeminently political operation of strengthening the state presence in the local region.James Ferguson is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of California at Irvine.
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- Q: What is the main focus of 'The Anti-Politics Machine'? A: 'The Anti-Politics Machine' examines the effects of development projects in Lesotho, revealing how they often ignore local political realities and instead expand bureaucratic power.
- Q: Who is the author of 'The Anti-Politics Machine'? A: The book is authored by James Ferguson, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of California at Irvine.
- Q: What is the publication date of this book? A: 'The Anti-Politics Machine' was published on February 1, 1994.
- Q: What is the format of the book? A: The book is available in paperback format.
- Q: How many pages does 'The Anti-Politics Machine' have? A: The book contains 336 pages.
- Q: What condition is the book in? A: The book is listed as 'New'.
- Q: What category does 'The Anti-Politics Machine' fall under? A: This book is categorized under Economics.
- Q: What type of approach does James Ferguson use in this book? A: Ferguson utilizes an anthropological approach, grounded in the work of Foucault, to analyze development discourse.
- Q: What is a key theme discussed in the book? A: A key theme is how development initiatives can act as 'anti-politics machines' that obscure political realities while enhancing state power.
- Q: Is there a specific case study mentioned in the book? A: Yes, the book includes a detailed case study of the Thaba-Tseka project in Lesotho.