Development's Displacement

The crisis of "development refugees" -- those forced to relocate not by wars or political conflicts but rather because of development policies, programs and projects -- is becoming increasingly prominent across the globe, as multilateral agencies, social movements and state authorities struggle to cope. While existing studies on development-induced displacement have focused on issues such as resettlement and compensation for those displaced by projects, our volume seeks to address displacement as a broader and more multi-layered phenomenon.

A series of illustrative case studies drawn from around the globe provide causal accounts of why and how displacement occurs, what its effects on communities, ecosystems, and economies look like, and the normative or ethical positions held by key actors involved. Contributors offer economic, political, and cultural analyses, as well as extensive ethnographic field research, to present a picture of displacement that illustrates the depth as well as the breadth of the issue.

By shedding light on this increasingly widespread global problem, Development’s Displacements makes an important contribution to the field of international development studies. This collection will be of interest to students and practitioners in political science, geography, environmental studies, sociology, and philosophy.

Peter Vandergeest is an associate professor of sociology and Director of the York Centre for Asian Research at York University. Pablo Idahosa is an associate professor in social sciences and Coordinator of the African Studies Program, York University. Pablo S. Bose is a lecturer in the International Development Studies Program at Trent University and a research associate with the Centre for Refugee Studies at York University.