Popular Representations of Development

Through twelve accessible and provocative chapters, this book introduces the idea that while the issue of ‘development’ is normally one that is discussed by social scientists and policy makers, it also has a wider ‘popular’ dimension. The book connects the effort to build a more holistic understanding of development issues with an exploration of the diverse public sphere in which popular engagement with development takes place. This includes the representation of development within forms of popular culture such as books and films, which both shape and reflect public perceptions and ideas. It also includes the wider public spaces in which people seek to participate in or communicate about development, from campaigning efforts via social networking sites and new electronic media to the use of unconventional media to promote development messages to end users.