Abstract

How is the "economy" produced as a manageable object by institutions such as the World Bank and IMF, and how does this contribute to their exercise of power over the global South? Connecting post-colonial and feminist scholarship to economic theory, Fragments of Development explains how modern economics has helped to constitute an "expert discourse" of development that marginalizes alternative perspectives and practices, often with devastating consequences for women and indigenous populations. Suzanne Bergeron assesses theories of modernization, structural adjustment, and globalization. While providing a vision for feminist alternatives, her work challenges prevailing wisdom regarding both the logic of capital and the neutrality of economic science. Fragments of Development is required reading for those interested in development studies, feminist economics, international political economy, and globalization studies.