Figure 1 Developmentality Seminar at Clubhouse – Geopolitics (27.10.2021)
Discussing Developmentality on Clubhouse, hosted by Geopolitics
27th October 2021
In 27th of October, we had a very nice interactive discussion on a clubhouse, Geopolitics hosted our group for 2 hours and half, where we have discussed deeply the questions below with fifty participants who attended the seminar, around fifteen of them involved in the discussion (see Figure 1)
it started with writing to them an email asking about the possibility of hosting us, they agreed and confirmed, and we shared the link of the room with our contacts, some of us shared the link on social media like twitter see figure 2, unfortunately, we had a technical issue where the recording of the session was failed at the end of the seminar.
Figure 2 (announcement on twitter for the upcoming seminar to discuss Developmentality
Questions that have been discussed:
- What is ComDev?
Communication for Development (ComDev) is an interdisciplinary field combining studies on culture, media, communication and development. ComDev explores communication within contexts of articulating global and local processes of social change. The ComDev field is part science, part craft and part art, and its multidisciplinary academic foundations draw on aspects of development studies, anthropology, sociology and cultural studies. These multiple entry points create a rich framework for challenging hegemonic notions and knowledge, and engage with questions of social, cultural, economic and political power. The theory and practices of ComDev play an important role as witness to global injustice and marginalisation, as amplifiers of dissent and as connectors between people, cultures and stories.
- Why did you name your blog Developmentality/What is Developmentality? What is the idea of your blog?
Under the theme ICT4D, “AID WORK AND COMMUNICATING DEVELOPMENT”, this blog will critically discuss and examine the development sector and the discord between the practice of development, the intended results of interventions and the institutions and structures that govern much of the development work. The blog will engage in this topic by applying critical discourse and theories to first-hand experiences and case studies from the development sector, social justice movements, new media and communicating (for) development.
- Why are you here in the Geopolitics room? What outcome to you wish to achieve
We are aiming at having an interactive discussion about developmentality and we are aiming about using Clubhouse as it is the newest platform of its kind.
- What were the main topics of your articles, and are there any new articles coming soon?
The discussions were centred around the question on whether structures and (communication) practices of development are still compatible and fit-for-purpose for the intended results. decolonial and intersectional. We will try to amplify the voices of subalterns, to propound participation methods for implementers in making policies and proposals for the projects they implement, that’s what Developmentality should be.
Some articles focused on Syria as an example, another one on Haiti…
After answering the main questions that have been proposed by Geopolitics, the group introduced the articles on Developmentality blog, then, the floor was opened for the audience to ask questions and to comment, and we have discussed interactively the below points:
- Shifting understanding of development, decolonizing power and amplifying voices
- Globalisation theory – anti-globalisation trends and How to engage people with things that are important specifically North and South linkages and Inequalities.
- Global Chains of production
- Relation of Developmentality and decoloniality in the age of globalization specially in Latin America and finishing hegemonic via a Focus on capability and participatory approach.
- Reconstruction efforts -local owned and local led compare to past approaches, Investment readiness: “Don’t want hand out, want leg up”.
- New vision in finance: holistically- big projects funded, economic rebalancing, microfinancing etc.
- Focus on SDG – and whether it could be called Sustainable Development “Risk and Resilience threats”?
- Looking towards innovations- impact investment (structure inefficiently)- venture capital- new world bank but better
- Changing premises of development/advancement – eg focusing on happiness scale, and achieving change through “developmentality” approach- via focusing on actors and practitioners.
- Global supply chains- interconnectivity-humanitarian aid
Supply chains in Haiti- food security vs food sovereignty
- Structural adjustment policies – undertook loans – biggest failure in 80s and 90s and changing how to improve the situation on the ground – how to distribute.
- Engaging with local population considering as partners -looking at long term solutions and ensuring that local infrastructures are supported and can play a role.
- How to change development from within- sector learn from mistakes- structural changes and structural development- flip the mirror around Implementation though developmentality might mean reversing what – Karl Marx said about “the inability of peasants to represent themselves” the locals should invite the donors to help, and should represent themselves, because they can represent themselves., and to adopt an approach that initiated by Saul Alinsky which is not go to a place if not invited – learn more and respect culture- development practitioner come in as a guest? When you are a guest, you behave differently
- Decolonial aspect – world systems theory – countries keeping poor countries poor
- Block chain solutions & digital solutions pivoting around these issues
- Risk of investment in developing countries- hypocritical- Corruption strife in US and other developed countries- tax evasion and avoidance of foreign companies in developing countries
- Philanthropy- utilized to evade tax – can have adverse effect – not just selfless act
- Decentralized approach- more office – more locally- on the ground input
Finally, there was an agreement that developmentality is a mechanism that can make the development more applicable with its focus on capability and participatory approaches, and there was an optimisms on achieving the 17th global sustainable goals if not in 2030, then in a later stage, the optimism was derived from the sustainable development is on the tables of the UN Agencies and the decision Makers.
Many thanks to the fantastic panelists of the Geopolitics clubhouse room. The conversation was dynamic and very rich. We fully recommend looking out for future events held by this great discussion space. Follow the links bellow for:
Clubhouse link: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/geopolitics (accessible via smarthphones)
Twitter feed link: https://twitter.com/ClubGeopolitics?s=20
