Development has to be understood holistically. It is very closely connected to culture, which is very difficult to define. Cultural factors have powerfully affected the pace of development. This paper begins with the status of culture in the international development paradigm. Then the author will examine the relationship between culture and sustainable development, going on to reflect the importance of culture in environmental sustainability.
Next, the paper will discuss the role of culture for peace and reconciliation, for only when there is peace there can be proper development. In the last part of his paper, the author looks at the relationship between media culture and development. In the media mediated society, which we live in today, culture is influenced by the media resulting in what is called ‘media-culture’, which leads to a unique kind of development.
The recognition that development programmes and strategies at the global, regional and local levels should integrate culture within their goals, indicators and targets is still not as widespread as it should be. Without such a globally agreed and shared recognition, the potential of culture to contribute to sustainable development risks being largely untapped. Giving due consideration to specific settings (a stronger concern for local cultural perspectives) in which the development processes should be conceived and implemented, is paramount.
Abstract
Development has to be understood holistically. It is very closely connected to culture, which of course is very difficult to define. Cultural factors have powerfully affected the pace of development. Some of them are: Religion, history, language, traditions, system of values, artistic, social, economic and political norms, and a nation’s size.We begin with the status of culture in the international development paradigm. Then the paper will examine the relationship between culture and sustainable development going on to reflect the importance of culture in environmental sustainability. Next the paper will deal with the role of culture for peace and reconciliation because only when there is peace there can be proper development. Surely, development can also ensure peace to some extent. There are many avoidable myths about culture in relation to development: One of the main myths is that an emphasis on cultural difference and the continuity of traditions could lead to social and political conflicts, be incompatible with human rights, affecting governance and development. This is far from the truth. This takes us to a consideration of the relationship of culture of indigenous communities and their development. In this context it is also important to consider culture in relation to the Post-2015 Development Agenda. In the media mediated society in which we live today culture is definitely influenced by the media resulting in what is called ‘media-culture’, which leads to a unique kind of development. Not everyone endorses the development model promoted by the media.
Key Words: Development, Culture, Media, Globalization, Sustainability, Peace
1. Introduction
‘Development’ and ‘culture’ are two very closely inter-related terms especially in the age of globalization. The paper would like to argue that the development processes and their impacts on societies across the globe can be understood well only by pulling culture out of the shadows. For instance “shared values of all kinds … religion and kinship are just as significant as economic transactions and the political life of nation states ….”1 “Development is the socio-cultural, political, economic and spiritual well-being of a society. Enhanced quality of life, egalitarian society, exercise of all human rights, and democratic freedom to participate in government are the major criteria that determine development.”2 All the aspects mentioned above should be constitutive part of development. Accordingly development has to be understood holistically, and not merely in terms of GNP, percapita income, calories intake, literacy rate, health index, basic necessities, and minimum needs, as development was understood in the 1950s and 60s. However, some scholars have questioned the very notion of development “on the grounds that it is steeped in Western ideologies (capitalist or socialist) of modernization and progress, or irreparably stained by its association with colonialism and imperialism (present and past) ….3
Among more than a hundred definitions of culture (most of them by Anthropologists) the following seems like the best: Culture is the sum total of characteristics which identify and differentiate human societies.4 In its core it’s an anthropological view of culture. “From this perspective, contacts between different cultures were viewed as ‘cultural clash’, and mixing between cultures hence bound to result in undesirable consequences, or even destruction of the cultural ‘whole’.”5 According to UlysseUruena a definition which is practical, tangible and easy to use on a daily basis is this: ‘Development’ is solutions for everyday life and ‘culture’ is priorities for everyday life.6 In this definition the dialectics between apparatus of culture and apparatus of development is very clear. In other words, development intervention can be more effective and beneficial to those people whose lives are being changed if culture is taken seriously.7 Another view equates modernization with development and defines it as “the right culture”. The global-local negotiation with regard to development and culture seems to be complete when geographically distant people share the same values and aspirations, not through cultural or capitalist imperialism but as result of the positive effects of development.8 Another point worth noting is that both models of development and culture are driven by ideology. For instance, NarendraModi’s development agenda is driven by right-wing ideology and Indian culture is driven by the RSS (RashtriyaSwayamSevaksangh) ideology.9 The paper shall seek to spell out some of these points in the following sub-heads.
2. Relationship between Development and Culture
In The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor, economic historian David S. Landes of Harvard University maintains that the reasons for different development rates were cultural. Landes admits that tropical regions like sub-Saharan Africa were bound to develop slowly because it was too hot for people to work during the day at certain times of the year, while temperate regions like Europe offered cooler conditions more suitable to productive activities like growing food and raising cattle (Landes, 1999).
Yet, says Landes, cultural factors have powerfully affected the pace of development. “If we learn anything from the history of economic development,” he says, “it is that culture makes all the difference.”10
Let us now enumerate the cultural factors that influence development: Religion, history, language, traditions, system of values, artistic, social, economic and political norms, and a nation’s size. In the year 1000, Landes says, no one would have predicted that Europe would dominate the world 500 years later. But starting in the 1500s, the Protestant form of Christianity promoted both literacy and concern for conservation of time, and both of these attributes led to higher productivity in societies such as Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, and, later, the United States. Likewise, in China and Japan, Buddhist beliefs emphasized labor and thrift, which led to faster social and economic development.
Colonialists in various parts of the globe have left their imprint on the culture of their subjects. In India in a State such as Goa this is very evident. Goa is very much Portuguese even today. Or take for that matter Puduchery – its French influence is telling. So much so it won’t be off the mark to say that these two tiny territories of India are more developed than many other areas of our country. Some of the many historical monuments seen in India today are British in origin. But today these can also be counted as a part and parcel of Indian culture.
Language is an expression of culture and the development of language in terms of its script, vocabulary, and literature are the manifestations of the development of culture. And that in turn is an indication of the development of a particular society.
Traditions are the practices handed down from generation to generation. Traditions reflect the culture of a society. Some traditions are beneficial while others are harmful to the development of a society. Traditions which keep women secluded to the hearth, as if it is their only destiny, create hurdles to the development of a society.
System of values reflects the culture of a society. They undergo change as society develops in all the ways, especially economically. The changes in the value system may not necessarily be beneficial to the common good. The changed value system can put the society in peril. Hence the changed value system is not necessarily a true reflection of the overall development of a society.
The artistic expressions are true manifestation of culture. They too undergo change as society develops or as society develops novel ways of artistic expressions will surface11, which may or may not be acceptable to some. It may not be off-beat to say that the general public can devote time to genuine artistic expressions only when their primary development issues – food, shelter, clothing - are taken care of. Great works of art, architecture, and sculpture all over the world are examples of this.
The way a society is governed speaks volumes on its culture and development. From primitive, rudimentary norms societies all over the world progressed to various systems of governance, the most cherished being the democratic one. For, democracy doesn’t impose but instills in each one voluntary responsibility for the whole society. Democracy demands maturity and quality.
Economic activities by which a society carries out its daily life is a pointer to its culture.12 Surely, great economic advancement cannot be equated to high culture. For, uncontrolled, unethical, greedy economic activities and the consequent development can lead a society to decadence.13 Farmers and fishermen have their own culture, which help them to lead a happy life.
3. The Role of Culture in Development
Since the 1970s it became clear that development is not synonymous with economic growth alone. It is a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence. As such development is inseparable from culture. We shall discuss this under various sub-heads:
3.1 Culture in the International Development Paradigm
The intrinsic linkages between culture and development have been recognized since the 1960s.14 However, it has only been comparatively recently that the need to integrate a consideration for culture within development efforts has been reflected in international development policy documents and at international fora. While taking stock of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) it has been widely agreed within the international community that the development approach followed thus far has reached its limits despite the undoubted progress made. In the words of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, “we cannot continue to burn and consume our way to prosperity.”15 United Nations Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development called for transformative change and stated that “business as usual is no longer an option.” The Conference document titled “Realizing the Future We Want for All”, recognizes culture’s importance by stating that “communities and individuals must be able to create and practice their own culture and enjoy that of others free from fear. This will require, inter alia, respect for cultural diversity, safeguarding cultural and natural heritage, fostering cultural institutions, strengthening cultural and creative industries, and promoting cultural tourism.”16
The Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, declared that “culture is what makes us who we are. It gives us strength; it is the wellspring of innovation and creativity; and it provides answers to many of the challenges we face today …We must do far more to place culture at the heart of the global sustainability agenda …at the global and local level.”17 The Outcome Document of the Millennium Development Goals Summit (2010) specifically recognizes the role that culture plays in development. The Document also underlines culture’s contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Till 2006 culture was mentioned in fewer than 30 per cent of United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAFs) at country level, in 2011 its importance was underlined in more than 70 per cent of them. The UN Secretary General’s 2011 “Report on Culture and Development” underscored the work being undertaken on a daily basis by 18 United Nations organizations and agencies that included a culture-sensitive approach to sustainable development. The need to incorporate a culture-sensitive and rights-based approach to development has also been advocated by the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). The UN itself has integrated culture into the post-2015 development agenda, which will enable people to “choose the lives that they value.”
3.2 Culture and Sustainable Development
Culture is regarded as the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of a society or social group. The “one size does not fit all” motto places culture at the centre of context-based approaches to sustainable development. It is now generally recognized that many people, especially the poor, depend directly on ecosystems for their livelihoods, their economic, social and physical well-being, and their cultural heritage and that all cultures and civilizations can contribute to sustainable development.18
In its large anthropological sense, culture is clearly linked to the basic question of how to ensure development that is compatible with the physical limits of the environment. If achieving sustainability is first and foremost about making proper and harmless use of the earth’s resources, then culture must be at the centre of development strategies. Indeed, many societies and belief systems regard nature as being in some sense an extension of society, making the culture-sensitive stewardship of the natural environment an integral part of sustainable development.
Reflecting deeper, it should be said that biological and cultural life are interdependent. Both forms of life have developed over time through a process of mutual adaptation between humans and the environment. Rather than existing in separate and parallel realms, both interact with and affect one another in complex ways in a sort of coevolutionary process. It would seem natural then to integrate a concern for culture into development policies and programmes so as to achieve effectiveness and sustainability. Thus a culture-sensitive approach is an essential enabler of sustainable development.
The cultural resources of a community can stimulate or be converted into inclusive economic development by promoting that community’s unique identity, traditions, and cultural products, generating jobs, revenue and market opportunities and contributing to the reduction of poverty. Indeed, the statistics show that the so-called ‘soft power’19 is one of the fastest growing sectors of many economies.
Inclusive social development is an area where the intrinsic value of culture is often acknowledged, with culture being recognized as providing a sense of belonging and of being part of a cohesive community, while at the same time helping people to maintain close links to their roots and to the land, with which many identify, especially indigenous people. Often a development plan imposed from outside fail to appreciate the intrinsic value of culture; it is when people (locals) begin to protest.20
3.3 Culture and Environmental Sustainability
The issue of environmental sustainability has attained vital importance in the 21 century. Culture can be considered as greatly contributing to environmental sustainability. Traditional cultural activities, particularly those associated with the care of the land, can help promote more sustainable consumption and production patterns. Today there is a widespread acknowledgement that local and indigenous systems and environment management practices can provide valuable insights that are complementary to technologically advanced ways of tackling ecological challenges – loss of biodiversity, land degradation, climate change, and natural disasters.
3.4 Role of Culture for Peace and Reconciliation
There can be development only when there is peace. Not any kind of development but culture-sensitive development. Such a kind of development can contribute considerably to the building of a culture of “living together,” thus helping to prevent tensions and confrontation. In post-conflict or war torn areas along with economic rebuilding, rehabilitating the cultural heritage and encouraging cultural pursuits and activities can help to rebuild the affected communities in terms of their sense of identity and bring in a sense of normalcy and healing. Sometimes, culture can also highlight shared values that may exist in conflicting communities with a specific form of heritage, promoting its joint stewardship. In these ways and others, culture can be seen as acting as a driver of sustainable development.
4. Avoidable Myths about Culture in Relation to Development
Till recently the relationship between culture and development wasn’t understood properly due to the persistence of certain recurrent myths about it. Some among international policy makers feared that an emphasis on cultural difference and the continuity of traditions could lead to social and political conflicts, be incompatible with human rights, affecting governance and development. However, this was a misplaced fear as there is no evidence that culture or cultural diversity results in fragmentation or conflict, or that some cultures are incompatible with sustainable development or good governance. Culture is not something static, frozen in time, rather it is a dynamic force that enables people to adapt their values and practices and overcome obstacles and limitations. Hence acknowledging cultural diversity and promoting it should not be understood as raising barriers between communities, but on the contrary it should mean encouraging thecapabilities of individuals both women and men. Diversity of this sort should aim to allow human beings to live and to be what they choose within an increasingly complex world by guaranteeing access to a wide range of cultural assets and expressions.21
5. Culture of Indigenous Communities and their Development
The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) stresses that the right of indigenous peoples to shape their own course of development should be respected along with their diversity and uniqueness. It is not the matter only of natural resource management and the use of land but it means embracing a holistic approach that includes sustainable economic growth and the affirmation of social, economic and cultural rights. The lands and resources of the world’s indigenous peoples should not be reduced merely to economic assets, as these also form the basis of their social and cultural integrity.22 Indigenous people should be provided a sense of belonging and connectedness and of being part of a community and maintaining close links to their roots and their land. Rio+20 Conference recognized that “indigenous peoples and local communities, …have developed sustainable uses of …resources, as well as the importance of “avoiding endangering their cultural heritage”.23
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1 Tim Allen, “Taking Culture Seriously,” in Poverty and Development in the 1990s, ed.T. Allen and A. Thomas(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992), 337.
2 Jacob Srampickal and Arul Aram, Understanding Development Communication (New Delhi: Media House, 2007), 11.
3 Susanne Schech and Jane Haggis, Culture and Development: A Critical Introduction (MA, USA: Blackwell Publishing, 2000), xii.
4 Zygmunt Bauman, Culture as Praxis (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1973), 35.
5 SusanneSchech and Jane Haggis, xii.
6 UlysseUruena, in conversation with the author, October 03, 2013.
7 Susanne Schech and Jane Haggis, xi.
8 Ibid.,xiii.
9 Modi was accused of marrying corporate business interest with Hindu communalism in his 2014 election campaign.
10 David S. Landes, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some are So Rich and Some So Poor, (New York: W.W. Norton&Co Inc, 1999), 516.
11 Today we speak of modern and post-modern art.
12 We speak of the culture of artisans, farmers, fisher folk and so forth.
13 As manifested by the economic meltdown (recession) beginning in 2007.
14 Adapted from a background note prepared by UNESCO.Accessed September 12, 2013. http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/multimedia/HQ/CLT/images/
15 From a speech at the 2011 Labour Summit in Cannes, France, November 3, 2011.
16 sustainabledevelopment.un.org/futurewewant.html. Accessed September 12, 2013.
17 From a keynote address at the opening of the Seventh Annual Blouin Creative Leadership Summit, held at the Metropolitan Club in New York September 21, 2012.
18 Adapted from a background note prepared by UNESCO.Accessed September 12, 2013. http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/multimedia/HQ/CLT/images/
19 In the Indian context the movies produced in India in various languages (the highest in the world), its dance forms, handicrafts, and other cultural items are vehicles for the spread of Indian culture abroad, besides earning foreign exchange.
20 Many so-called development projects – Narmada Dam, Nano car, Posco, Kudankulam Nuclear Plant …etc - in the rural sector of India has faced massive protests and bottlenecks due to the failure to take into account local culture, livelihood, and sentiments.
21 UNDP Human Development Report, “Cultural Liberty in Today’s Diverse World,” 2004, 6.
22 Large Business Corporations and Government schemes wanting to acquire the land of the indigenous people think that the only thing they need to do is to just economically compensate the people.
23 sustainabledevelopment.un.org/futurewewant.html. Accessed on September 12, 2013.
- Quote paper
- Prof. Francis Arackal Thummy (Author), 2013, Global-Local Negotiations. Development and Culture, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1337935
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