The modernist project of development after the Second World War imposed a onesided view of the world, reducing diverse cultural realities to an abstract market principle and thus causing loss of cultural autonomy, environmental destruction, climate change and social exclusion.

Encountering Development (1995), arguably Arturo Escobar’s most influential book, provides systematic analysis of development discourses and governmentality in Latin America and explores a new era of ‘post development’ that can be gleaned from pluriversal local practices. 25 years after its first appearance in English, the Japanese edition was finally published thanks to Shu Kitano’s translation. As the era of pandemic accelerates multiple socio-economic crises, this book opens a space of critical reflections on modernity, development, and globalization.

This special talk session invites Dr. Arturo Escobar to present the main argument of the book. The session also discusses the meaning of life, development, and happiness in the time of the pandemic, reflecting the situations of Colombia, US, Europe or Japan.

• Date: Saturday, 4th June 2022
• Time: 10:00-12:00 (JST)
• Venue: Zoom
• Language: English (Interpretation not available)
• Guest speaker: Prof. A. Escobar (Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
• Discussant: Prof. Yoshihiro Nakano (Rikkyo University)、
• Translator’s comment: Prof. Shu Kitano (Dokkyo University)

Registration

Advance registration is requested by the following URL
(Registration will be closed on 3rd June, at 15:00)

Contact

Doshisha University Latin America Studies Center
Institute of Global Concern of Sophia University

• i-grlocon [at] sophia.ac.jp (replace [at] with @)

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