During the past fifty years, colonial empires around the world have collapsed and vast areas that were once known as "colonies" have become known as "less developed countries" or "the third world." The idea of development--and the relationship it implies between industrialized, affluent nations and poor, emerging nations--has become the key to a new conceptual framework. Development has also become a vast industry, involving billions of dollars and a worldwide community of experts. These essays--written by scholars in many fields--examine the production, transmission, and implementation of...