The churches and the development debate : the promise of a fourth generation approach

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The aim of this study was to think anew about the involvement of the Christian churchesin strategic development. The author undertook such an exercise in an abstract andgeneral manner, not by undertaking specific case studies, but by applying variousdevelopment and social sciences debates to come to a new understanding of the churches'meaningful participation in the broad area of development.The notion of the churches as 'idea' and 'value' institutions in the field of developmentwas particularly developed. The study found its critical point of departure in theecumenical theological debate on development over the last four decades. The first threechapters show how the charity-development juxtaposition in ecumenical developmentdiscourse problematises and frames the historical and actual participation of the churchesin development. It is indicated that this discourse poses a critical theoretical andideological challenge not only to the churches' socio-economic involvement throughcharity, but also to the mainstream secular development enterprise. It is concludedthrough the pragmatic debate in the broader ecumenical development discourse that anenduring divide exists between progressive theoretical thinking on the churches'participation in development and the actual development practices of the churches. It isconcluded, akin to an historical charity involvement, that the churches have, generallyspeaking, been over-investing in project approaches to development at the cost of modesof engagement which highlight an idea- and value-centred development praxis.In chapters four to seven the argument is further developed through the conceptualframework of third and fourth generation development strategies. Through ideas on thisconceptual framework, which were first formulated by David Korten in NGO and peoplecentreddevelopment debates, but which have also been extended to broader 'alternative'development and social sciences debates within the analytic framework of this study, theidea- and value-centred perspective in this study was further worked out and applied tothe churches. It is concluded that the conceptual framework of third generationdevelopment strategies poses an appropriate (public) challenge to the churches to becomeinvolved in the policy-making, managerial and organisational processes of development.In contrast to a 'politics of limited space' which the third generation mode presents to thechurches, it is maintained that the 'unlimited political space' of the fourth generationmode of development involvement is more appropriate to the churches. It is argued thatthe churches could most effectively and meaningfully participate in the new transnationalsocial movement 'value' and 'idea' politics (e.g. peace, human rights, women,environment, democracy, people-centred development) prioritised in the fourthgeneration strategic perspective. This argument is further worked out in the final chapterthrough the proposal of four beacons of action that may guide the churches to becomemeaningful participants in fourth (and third) generation strategic development action,namely (i) the new social movements, (ii) the new communication solidarities, (iii)alternative development policy, and (iv) 'soft culture'.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University