The so called impasse of development theory and the alternatives proposed to move beyond it

The paper examines the crisis in development studies during the mid-1980s, highlighting the decline of dominant theories such as Modernisation and radical Marxism. It argues that both approaches failed to address real-world issues, leading to disillusionment with the neo-liberal agenda and structural adjustment programs. The author discusses how economic growth often exacerbated ecological and social problems rather than achieving broader development goals like employment and poverty reduction, signaling a need for new perspectives in development theory.