Thought Paper #1
Power and Discourse
Choose one of the following questions and discuss in three typewritten, double-spaced
pages or less.
1. Discuss the history or ‘geneaology’ of the term ‘development’. In what ways, do you
think, is it linked to a discursive regime of inequality between countries and regions?
2. Discuss the reasons why the Thaba-Tseka project failed to meet its objectives. Do you
agree or disagree with Ferguson that its failures can only be explained by reference to the
concept of ‘development discourse’?
3. Discuss the lending policies of the IMF and World Bank in the past twenty years. Do
you agree or disagree with the critics that such policies have led to increased
impoverishment for many regions?