Why read Anti-Politics Machine?

Book cover of Anti-Politics Machine: Development, Depoliticization, and Bureaucratic Power in Lesotho

Book description

Development, it is generally assumed, is good and necessary, and in its name the West has intervened, implementing all manner of projects in the impoverished regions of the world. When these projects fail, as they do with astonishing regularity, they nonetheless produce a host of regular and unacknowledged effects, including…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Anti-Politics Machine as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

James A. Robinson

Author

Many people get involved with Africa through their concern for its’ poverty and with a genuine desire to help “develop” Africa. Ferguson’s analysis shows how counter-productive this is without an understanding of the ways in which African society differs from western society. Much social theory is generalizations based on interpretations of western development. These ideas are then projected into Africa on the basis that the more they are like us, the more developed they will be. I hope these five books help you un-learn this perspective and embrace the originality and genius of Africa.

From James' list on The best books to read to understand Africa.