Development and Social Change : A Global Perspective (Sociology for a New Century Series)
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
The distribution of the world’s material wealth is far from even. And while most of the western world may be accustomed to a commercial culture, there are other cultures (e.g., Amish, Islamic, peasant) that are not commercial or are uncomfortable with commercial definition. Because cultural meaning is not universally defined through the market, "globalization," as it is currently understood, is not necessarily a universal aspiration.
Why then, is there so much talk of globalization? In this Third Edition of Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective, author Philip McMichael provides a narrative of how development came to be institutionalized as an international project, pursued by individual nation-states in the post-colonial era. This new edition has been updated and revised to incorporate the treatments of fundamentalism, terrorism, the AIDS crisis, and the commercialization of services via the World Trade Organization.
The evident failure of many countries to fulfill this promise of development and the world’s growing awareness of environmental limits have forced a reevaluation of the development enterprise. Development and Social Change traces the changing fortunes of development efforts, the shortcomings of which have produced two responses. One is to advocate a thoroughly global market to expand trade and spread the wealth. The other is to reevaluate the economic emphasis and to recover a sense of cultural community.
Features of this book:
Development and Social Change is the first book to present students with a coherent explanation of how "globalization" took root in the public discourse and how "globalization" represents a shift away from development as a way to think about non-western societies. This is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate students studying globalization, social development, and social change in Sociology, Political Science, Anthropology, and International Studies. To read a sample chapter from Development and Social Change click on "Additional Materials" in the left column under "About This Book" or simply click here.
About the Author
Philip McMichael grew up in Alelaide, South Australia, and is presently Professor of Rural and Development Sociology at Cornell University. His book The Agrarian Question: Foundations of Capitalism in Colonial Australia (1984) won the Social Science History Association's Allan Sharlin Memorial Award. He is also the editor of The Global Restructuring of Agro-Food Systems (1994) and Food and Agrarian Orders in the World Economy (1995). He has served as Director of Cornell University's International Political Economy Program and as Chair of the American Sociological Association's Political Economy of the World-System Section.
Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective (Sociology for a New Century Series),Philip D. (David) McMichael,Pine Science Press,0761988106,Anthropology - Cultural,Competition, International,Economic development,Economic development projects,History,Social Science,Sociology,Sociology - General,Social Science / Sociology / General
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