The Future of Development: A Radical Manifesto - Softcover

Gustavo Esteva is an author and grassroots activist who collaborates with the Universidad de la Tierra, Mexico, and other organizations around the world. Salvatore Babones teaches sociology and social policy at the University of Sydney, Australia. Philipp Babcicky is a doctoral student at the University of Graz, Austria.

“This short and highly readable book is strongly recommended. It covers a broad range of material on development in a concise yet comprehensive way, and relates this to the need for concrete alternatives in today’s messy world. It should be read by activists, students and scholars in the field.” (Ray Kiely, University of London)

“Elucidates the contradictions in development approaches very effectively.” (Journal of Social Policy)

“This book is highly accessible, informative, and potentially inspiring. Gustavo Esteva, Salvatore Babones, and Philipp Babcicky provide a critical reading of the history of ‘development’—how the concept emerged, how it has been measured, and how it transformed our world. The book approaches familiar debates on development—including population growth, food scarcity, and environmental degradation—from a perspective that is both original and thought provoking. And while the vision of change offered here may not satisfy everyone, it should certainly provoke an interesting debate.” (Nitsan Chorev, Brown University)

“By radically challenging what they call the colonizing virulence of underdevelopment, the authors of The Future of Development provide a clarion call to arms, a radical manifesto, for unthinking the development enterprise. Their critique and insurrectionary vision will provide insights for scholars and practitioners alike struggling with the past/present/future paradigms and structures of development.”   (Adam David Morton, Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice, University of Nottingham)