Development, Neoliberalism, and Islamism in South Asia: The Case of Bangladesh

ISBN-13: 9783031031083 / Angielski / Twarda / 2022 / 144 str.

Mustahid M. Husain

Recenzje

"This ambitious work intends to bring three apparently different themes under a broad framework: development, neo-liberalism, and Islamic politics. ... The book is quite well referenced, refers to the works of some leading theorists in the field, the book would be a nice introductory reading for students and researchers studying development studies and South Asia, in general, and Bangladesh, in particular." (Sujay Ghosh, Economic & Political Weekly, epw.in, Vol. 58 (18), May 6, 2023)

"Husain's monograph stands as an excellent introduction to the state of western development in Bangladesh and the ways in which neoliberal strategies have abandoned and exploited the lower classes and the poor, instead working to fill the coffers of the development aid industry ... . the work offers a much needed examination and critical evaluation of the nearly 50 years of development in Bangladesh and the very real human consequences they have had for the people living there." (Cooper Dunn, Contemporary South Asia, October 12, 2022)

"The monograph extensively incorporates critical theories and is informed by data collected from multi-sited empirical observations and other field work in Bangladesh. ... Development, Neoliberalism, and Islamism: The Case of Bangladesh offers a great jumping off point for those wishing to understand the intricacies and shortcomings of neoliberal development in Bangladesh and the very real socioeconomic consequences they have for Bangladeshi citizens." (Cooper Dunn, Canadian Journal of Development Studies, October 10, 2022)

"Among various empirical research methods the author conducted to study development-induced corruption in Bangladesh, I am especially fascinated by his interlocutors from different positions in the system. ... The book also offers a unique perspective on the Bangladesh military ... . The empirical findings presented in the book will be of great interest to the students, academics, and practitioners vis-à-vis equitable, ethical as well as socially and environmentally just processes and outcomes of development." (Hana Tr n, Global South Development Magazine, gsdmagazine.org, September 29, 2022)

Spis treści

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1     Presentation of Chapters 8

Chapter 2: Development, Political Economy, and Neoliberalism.. 12

2.1     Development in Context: Historical Processes and Contested Categories 12

2.2     The Late 18th-Century Rise of Industrial Capitalism.. 15

2.3     The 1944 Bretton Woods Conference and the end of WWII 17

2.4     The Breakdown of the Bretton Woods control in early 1970s: Capital Movements and Beyond. 20

2.5     International Development 27

Chapter 3: Neoliberalism, Class Structures and Politics of Development in Bangladesh. 35

3.1     Contemporary Bangladesh and Class Structures 35

3.2     Dual Hegemony and Expanding Inequality. 44

3.3     The Construction of Poverty. 50

Chapter 4: Neoliberalism, Infrastructure and Philosophical Poverty. 59

4.1     Contemporary Bangladesh, BRTA and the World Bank. 59

4.2     Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority (BRTA) 61

4.3     Neoliberal Directives in Post-Secondary Education. 72

4.4     Free Market Induced Short Term Outcomes in Bangladeshi Higher Education. 75

4.5     Euphemisms and Marketing Globalization. 79

4.6     Rickshaw Faculty. 80

4.7     “McDonaldization” of Culture. 82

4.8     Zombie Graduates. 86

4.9     Betrayal by the Neo-elites and Intellectuals. 87

Chapter 5: Neoliberalism, Islam and Intolerance. 89

5.1     Theoretical influence. 91

5.2     Islam-neoliberalism in contemporary Turkey, Egypt, and Indonesia. 95

5.3     Islam in Neoliberal Bangladesh: Analysis and discussion. 101

Chapter 06: Neoliberalism and the Political Economy of Bangladesh Military. 117

6.1     Theoretical influence. 118

6.2     Key Findings. 121

Chapter 7: Conclusion. 125

10.1   Bangladesh’s Divisive and Fractured Middle-Class. 126

10.2   Dual-hegemony of State and Aid Agencies Operating in Bangladesh. 127

10.3   Bangladesh’s Import Dependency. 129

10.4   The Failure of the Education System to Prepare Citizens for Participation in a Truly Democratic State  131

10.5   Specific Responses to Research Questions. 131

10.6   Policy Recommendations/Prescriptions. 134

10.7   Limitations and Future Research. 136

 

O autorze

Mustahid Husain is a scholar based at the University of British Columbia, Canada. 

Blurb

“Very few studies have endeavoured to explore how neoliberal policies of the Bangladeshi state impacted institutions such as education and military, contributed to the othering in social milieu, and shaped the daily lives of the people. Mustahid untangles this relationship, analyzes them in-depth and challenges the conventional wisdom. Empirical data gathered from long field research has been weaved with the theoretical insights and offers a unique perspective.”

— Ali Riaz, Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Illinois State University, and President of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS)

“Bangladesh has long been viewed as a donor darling in the international aid industry and a crucible for development programs, policies, and non-governmental organizations, yet poverty and inequality persists. Husain’s book examines this puzzle and offers a theoretically rich and original interpretation of the history of development in Bangladesh and how the interplay of development, neoliberalism and Islamism have shaped the evolution of the Bangladeshi state, society, and economy in recent years.”

— Liam Swiss, President, Canadian Association for the Study of International Development (CASID)

“A brilliant piece of scholarship! In juxtaposing the country at the crossroads of globalization with machinations by international and local interest groups, Mustahid has beautifully illustrated the complexity of the neoliberal problem.”

—Taj Hashmi, author of Fifty Years of Bangladesh, 1971-2021

This monograph explores dual hegemony and the politics of development in Bangladesh. The interdisciplinary research covers thematic areas of development, Islam-neoliberalism, and military’s private sector engagements. This book is of interest to scholars of development studies, political Islam, and security studies, including terrorism and the politics of South Asia.

Mustahid Husain is a scholar based at the University of British Columbia, Canada.