SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

BSN 2-C
 At the end of this presentation, the students
should be able to:

differentiate
discuss human explain de- between traditional
flourishing in the development as a frameworks of
context of progress and progress and
progress in development development and
science and framework; and Hickel's concept of
technology; de-development.
Jason Hickel's development framework
focused on de-development as a
departure from traditional framework of
growth and development. His concept
of de-development works discussed as
an alternative to narrowing the gap
between rich and poor countries.
• Economic Anthropologist
• Statistical Advisory Panel for UN
Human Development Report.
• Forget “developing” poor countries,
it’s time to “de- develop” rich
countries”
• The post-World War II period
witnessed the emergence of
modernization theory, suggesting that
less developed nations could attain
economic progress by embracing
Western norms and systems, criticized
for its ethnocentrism and overlooking
the intricate social and cultural
dynamics of developing countries.
• The 1970s witnessed the emergence of
dependency theory, which argued that
the underdevelopment of poorer
countries was a result of their
exploitation by wealthier nations.
• In recent years, the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) have
become a key framework for
addressing global poverty and
inequality.
• A set of 17 goals for the world’s
future
• The main objective is to eradicate
poverty by 2030.
• Agreed to by nearly all the world’s
nation on Sept. 25 2015
• The main strategy for eradicating
poverty is growth despite the fact
that it is not working.
• Human flourishing is the idea that
every person has the potential to live
a fulfilling and meaningful life, with
opportunities for growth, happiness,
and well-being.
• It goes beyond traditional measures
of progress.
• Despite a 380% increase in the global
economy since 1980, the number of people
living in poverty on has increased by over
1.1 billion.
• Both orthodox economists and more
progressive voices suggest solutions that
involve either more growth or redistribution
of wealth, but neither adequately address
the underlying problem.
• Measures the productivity of all biologically
productive land and sea area in a given year.
• This is the measure of how much the earth can
sustain a person per year
• The capacity of our planet is only about 1.8
global hectares which is the amount that
would enable the earth to replenish its
resources.
• However, individuals in the US, Canada, and
Europe vastly exceed this, consuming 8, 4.7,
and 4.7 hectares per person respectively.
• Peter Edwards: We need to allow the
poor countries to catch up in a
different way while also allowing the
developed countries to slow down.
• Hard to accept by the 1st world
countries as de- development is
equated to stopping moving forward,
improving, and growing
• About 70% acknowledged that the way
we are living is the main cause of most
of the environmental problems
• We should consider adopting alternative
visions such as buen vivir or good living
from Latin America and reviving
Western traditions of reflecting on the
good life, as proposed by Robert and
Edward Skidelsky in their book "How
Much is Enough?", which suggests
interventions like banning advertising,
shorter working weeks, and
implementing a basic income to enhance
our lives while reducing consumption.
• De-development offers a fresh
perspective on sustainable
development by advocating for
reduced consumption in affluent
nations and promoting social equality.
• It highlights the importance of
redistributing resources equitably,
potentially addressing global poverty
and mitigating environmental
degradation.
• Critics argue that reducing consumption
in wealthy countries may result in
economic stagnation and job losses,
adversely affecting millions of
livelihoods.
• Implementing a 'fair share' model of
development would necessitate
substantial political will and international
cooperation, which could be challenging
to achieve given the current global
dynamics.
• Hickel asserts that rethinking our
theory of progress is not only an
ecological imperative, it is also a
development one.
• He proposes a 'de-development'
strategy for rich countries, which
involves reducing consumption
levels, transitioning to a more
sustainable economic system, and
promoting social equity.
• By reducing consumption levels in rich
countries, Hickel believes that resources
can be freed up for redistribution to
poorer nations, thereby promoting
global equity and sustainability.
• Embracing change isn't about sacrifice or
limiting human potential. It involves
attaining a higher level of understanding
and consciousness about our actions and
purpose, leading to genuine human
flourishing.
• Forget 'developing' poor countries, it's time to 'de-develop'
rich countries" by Jason Hickel is a thought-provoking article
that challenges the traditional notion of development and
calls for a reevaluation of global economic policies.
• Human flourishing offers a more holistic and sustainable
approach to progress, one that puts people and the planet at
the center of our efforts.
• The shift from post-WWII modernization theory to
dependency theory and the adoption of Sustainable
Development Goals reflects a growing understanding of the
importance of considering socio-cultural dynamics.