Endangering Development Politics Projects And Environment In Burkina Faso

Posted In: Burkina Faso

Celesta Causley says...

This book speaks to two audiences. The first are researchers and policymakers interested, from a practical or a critical perspective, in the decentralization of political and administrative powers in developing countries. The second group are those specifically interested in resource management and politics in Burkina Faso. The country is often regarded as one of francophone Africa's rural backwaters, but it saw significant and sustained activity by international development agencies from the 1970s, and the actions of Thomas Sankara's populist leadership were debated worldwide. The result is that there now many potential readers able to appreciate this book in the English language.



Lars Engberg-Pedersen studied village politics in two Provinces of Burkina Faso, beginning in 1993 with doctoral fieldwork. Yatenga is in the northern Sahel, and much is known about it. Bourgouriba is in the south west of the country, not far from north-west Ghana, and has more rainfall and better agricultural possibilities. Mossi peoples from Yatenga and other northern Provinces, and some other groups like the Dagari, have migrated and settled here in large numbers and this has led to tensions over land access with indigenous groups. The book is based on 80 days of fieldwork in four villages (two in each Province), plus a later survey of NGOs in Yatenga. Detailed ethnography was not carried out, but the constant focus is the political process as it relates to the presence of foreign aid. The author wants to understand, in particular, "...the lives and actions of the so-called poor", (p viii) in relation to the politics that develop around resource management projects and decentralization efforts. He is less interested in the views and the development activities of those projects themselves.



Engberg-Petersen makes use of the conceptual frameworks developed by the `APAD school' of anthropologists (Association euro-Africaine pour l'anthropologie du changement sociale et du d

Posted on November 20, 2010

Del Vanriper says...

Other travel guides cover all of Africa or all of West Africa.The entire Brandt Guide book covers only one country, Burkina Faso. Therefore, there is more actionable information on Burkina Faso including more town maps and descriptions of villages and tribal markets where you can find traditional life untouched by modern ways. There is also more depth and more insight.The author seems to have more connection to Burkina Faso. This is more valuable than having the latest published guide.Published on quality paper, the book is heavier than others but indispensible for navigating along the path less traveled. Traveling on your own, I wouldn't go without it. You would risk bypassing places that would cause you post-travel regrets.

Posted on November 21, 2010

Verlene Keisel says...

It is with great belief that I think every American, African and anyone working in development should read this book!!!!!

Posted on November 21, 2010

Carina Detullio says...

Hardback, 12" x 10 ", 471 Pages, 557 objects presented in full-color in full-page format. All 557 items are repeated in color thumbnails with concise and informative descriptions.....I own over 200 books on Tribal Art, and this is quite simply one of the best books on African Art I have ever seen. The quality of the selected sculptures is matched by the quality of the photographs, presentation, format and paper. Burkina Faso boasts some of the very best West African art, and the collection of Thomas Wheelock, unlike some private collections, is of a consistently high standard. Superb and essential.

Posted on November 25, 2010

Sydney Lewark says...

Sankara was a great revolutionary, not just a fighter, not just defiant, but a thinker, a man who sought to united the working masses of his country against imperialism and for progress.Reading his writings give wisdom not just to African revolutionists, but to anyone in the world who thinking about how to defend working people against the imperialist offensive, how to move his people to progress.



In this regard Sankara's writings are important because he is not a phony leftist spouting rhetoric, but a thinking leader of his people trying to educate, trying to involve and trying to give leadership to the peasants, the women, the workers, because he knew real revolutions are made not by leaders or elites, but by the masses.



In this Sankara reminds me very much of another fighting leader, a man Sankara worked with and stood shoulder to should with Fidel Castro.Imperialism and reaction may have silenced Thomas Sankara's body, but as long as these words are available, his ideas will never stop leading people in struggle in Africa and in the world.We should honor his sacrifice by studying his words!



While this book is sometimes not available on Amazon, it is always available from booksfrompathfinder a vendor you can find by clicking on New and Used toward the top of the page.

Posted on November 28, 2010

Kayla Athanasiou says...

-- bought this for a daughter who was headed to Burkina Faso with the Peace Corps -- of the 6+ books I purchased for her, this is the only one she chose to take with her -- she just arrived there last week and haven't heard much from her, but will inquire at some future point how useful it's being-- certainly looked good to me, so much so that in hopes that I'll get to visit her, purchased another copy for my use -- at the least it will give me some idea what's coloring her experiences.

Posted on December 3, 2010