In his reflections on decolonization and post-development, Gustavo Esteva forged a unique synthesis of critical theory and political economy.

This book presents more than half a century of "reflection in action" in the form of essays, books, and interventions in national and international forums and newspaper articles-most published here for the very first time. It showcases Esteva's evolving thought on economic theory, social change, revolutionary subjectivity, transition, development, the challenges of a new era and personal and communal autonomy, all associated with the challenges and advances in the construction of a new society. Through this translation, Esteva's writings engage with many of the important cultural and political debates of the present day and retain their power both to provoke and move the reader. Readers will see a thinker at work, formulating local, grassroots alternatives as they are emerging in Mexico and Latin America, with a keen sensibility to what happens in other regions of the world. Gustavo Esteva: A Critique of Development and Other Essays offers a lucid insight into the climatic and sociopolitical collapses we face and will be of interest to students and scholars of critical theory, post-colonial and de-colonial studies, and post-development studies.

About the Author

Gustavo Esteva (1936-2022) was a grassroots activist and "deprofessionalized intellectual". He was the founder of the Universidad de la Tierra in Oaxaca, Mexico. As one of the best-known advocates of post-development, he held that the whole concept and practice of development is a reflection of Western-Northern hegemony over the rest of the world.

Katy Dix is a Guatemalan-American translator and former external collaborator at the Universidad de la Tierra, Mexico.

Reviews

"Critique of Development and Other Essays-a book that Gustavo personally oversaw at the very end of his life-is not only proof of Gustavo's unwavering commitment to a pluriversal autonomous transformation beyond the state, market, and formal democracy, but also a testament to his relentless pursuit of the possibility of creating a radical plurality of conviviality between worlds. The book, which consists of a series of essays written by Esteva throughout his intellectual life, offers a body of work and intellectual path that is difficult to summarise in one volume, much less in a book review. However, the care that Gustavo and his editors (Jose Rafael Escobedo and Bernd Reiter) and translator (Kathryn Dix) invested into these texts-each one carefully selected and presented in a particular order (some of them translated into English for the first time), along with introductory notes by Esteva himself-provides a systematic and comprehensive view on his work expanding over five decades."

Carlos Tornel, Antipode: A Radical Journal of Geography

Book Information
ISBN 9781032202235
Author Gustavo Esteva
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 560g