Byse Workshop Session 4: The Local in International Development

By the late twentieth century, large-scale, top-down development schemes had begun to give way to approaches more attuned to local dynamics and the experiences of affected communities. What prompted this shift, and what does it seek to achieve in the development context? In this session, we will consider growing disillusionment with technocratic, state-centered implementation models and explore the appeal of working “from below.”

This shift was also a response to mounting critiques following widespread displacement, environmental degradation, and other unintended consequences of major development projects, such as the Narmada Dam in India. In response, the World Bank introduced mechanisms aimed at enhancing accountability and community participation, including the quasi-judicial Inspection Panel. This body was designed to allow groups negatively affected by Bank-funded projects to file complaints and seek redress. We will assess the significance of such innovations, asking who qualifies as a “community” in this context, what forms of harm are recognized, and what limitations arise when the Bank is called upon to shield communities from the state.