The Process of Development Essay Example

( Oxford Dictionry, 348:1999 ) . For an Africans the subject refering the impact of civilization and development advancement is important because on one manus, we are eager to maintain our civilization of which we are proud of but on the other manus, as a leader, we are compelled to steer people toward a sustainable development. ( Speckman2007:44 ) .

Christianity as a civilization: From the definition provided above, one may besides propose that civilization is non merely what our ancestrors left to us which were transmited to us through unwritten traditional. After our expansive parents had converteed to Christianity they somehow adopted a new civilization that we inherit.In other word, I wsh to reason that Christianity itself and the manner we adopt it contitute `` civilization '' which deserve a particular attending while discoursing the isue of the impact of Culture and Development. For case, some Zulus will state I do n't pattern ancestros worship because I am a Christian. In order words, this implies I do n't practie that cultural pattern because I have adopted another one. Thus the subject: `` Christianity and Deveopment '' .

What is development? : Acording Oxford Dictionary, ( 1999 ) merely one maysimply say that Development is `` a specified province of growing or promotion. '' ( We will reason that s mant African bookmans such as Kalenkole and Mbiti have argued Africans are really religius people and yet remained hapless. '' ( Oxford Dictionary, 1999:392 ) .

What is the relation between Culture and Development?

Historically talking, Schech and Haggis ( 2002 ) argue that the beginnings of the impression of development in the sense of advancing societal advancement prevarication

in the same set in the nineteeth century as which are associated with the beginnings of the construct of civilization. They added, `` Indeed civilization and development sometimes mean about the same thing until discourses of development planning and cultural specificity diverged in the ealry decennaries of the present century. '' ( Schech and Haggis, 2002:5 ) . Therefore in Africa, specifically in South Africa, given the topographic point ocupied by civilization, one may reason that if we are projecting for a sustainable development, it is indispensable to size up both the strenghts and the failings that cuture can convey approximately and, when possible attempt to dispute critically some of our cultural patterns and believes that appear to be as an obstructor to Development.But at all clip, we foremost have to be witting that we can non impliment efficient development policies while disregarding the presence of civilization. Larry Yost nd Hugh Tracy were right in their 8th rule of Community Development Work when reasoning the importance of affecting the local leading 'since the ultimate responsability for go oning development remainders with the local citizen ' ( Yost and Tracy: 1997 ; 21 ) .

Beside that, either one is an economic expert or diehard ; we all heartily and unfeignedly back the nisus for economic development. In other words, Economic development expresses one of our cardinal hopes and aspiration. Furthermore, in its study published in 1996, the UNDP ( United Nations Development Program ) , defined human development as '' the endeconomic growing a agency. '' ( Human Development Report 1996 ) . ( hypertext transfer protocol: //hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr1996/ ) .

Disadvantages of Culture:

Talking about the disadvantages of

civilization on development, one may reason that sometime people because of their ignorance or deficiency of cognition can deny even what is indispensable for their endurance on the footing of their cultural beliefes. Therefore, as it has been argued by Spackamn, people need to be empowered as toward determination making.And, in my position, any theologian and any educated individual who cares about the Development of Africa should believe critically about the impact of `` culture.According to Spackman, civilization can hold positive impact on development merely as it can hold negative reverberation on development. Therefore, this state of affairs frequently plunge us into a quandary because on one manus we are eager to maintain our civilization of which we are proud of but on the other manus, as leaders, we are compelled to take people toward a sustainable development. ( Speckman2007:40-44 ) ,

Impact of Sexism ad patrirchy on development

As mentioned before, this paragph will be discoursing sexism in Africa and its impact on development. I will show how sexism and patriarchate have contributed all along many old ages to the subjugation of adult females and, accordingly this state of affairs has besides lead to the subjugation of work forces and the impoverishing of Africa.

Definition of Sexism: Harmonizing to Cambridge Dictionary, Sexism is the belief that the members ( in this instance adult females ) of one sex are less intelligent, able skillful, less accepted/valued by God than the members of the other sex. Particularly that adult females are less than work forces are. ( Cambridge Dictionary2005:1166 ) .

Mercy Amba Oduyoye argues that Women 's position in most societies is far lower than that of work forces.

In her position, this state of affairs is due to cultural stereotype specified under properties and duties. ( Oduyoye, 2007:22 ) .Beside that, even the manner the Bible has been frequently interpreted has vastly contributed to adult females subjugation.

In most African society, at the decease of parents in most merely male kids will inherit and ne'er a girl.Thus in African society and all over the World, there is a inclination to see a male child more valuble than a girl.when there is deficit of income in the familly, frequently it isthe miss who has to disrupt her surveies in favour of the male child. Second, though a adult female is said to be a spouse, in most determination devising, either within the society or within the familly practically, she does non hold much to lend if non nil. In other word she is merely at that place as an auxilliary to her hubby. Once divorced, a adult female loses regard and finds herself despised if she does non rapidly remarry. The whole instruction has been in readying for matrimony, so a failure here is a entire failure. No adult female is destined to remain individual if so she has done something incorrect. ( Oduyoye, 2007:22 ) . Apart from sexism found in the civilization, we besides find that even the manner Bible has been interpreted does non promote adult females 's emancipation. To utilize Nyangweso words, 'Marriage is endocentric. This is a cosmopolitan experience that cries for reexamination. ' ( Nyangweso2007:61 ) . From the Hebrew Testament to the New Testament, the place occupied by adult females is frequently portayed to be lower to that

of work forces. Therefore, Oduyoye argues that `` gender stratification has distorted the quality of human dealingss and it continues to deny the para between adult females and work forces to accept female and male as tantamount look of being. '' ( Nyangweso2007:62 ) .

How so do sexism and patriarchy impact negatively on African 's development?

By suppressing adult females, some work forces think that they will monopolise the power and order will be established. However, a careful perceiver will hold with me that by suppressing adult females, work forces are double oppressed. First, work forces are deprived from the closest beginning of support. As when adult female and adult male have equal entree to instruction and do their economic determination together, this can hike their economic system. In the old decennaries we saw that in some portion of Africa like Senegal, adult females were non allowed to go to school and this in my position was oppressive toward a adult male as he has by himself to supply non merely for himself but his married woman and kids whereas a adult female good educated will hold entree to better occupation and fiscal resources. And this will work out non merely her fiscal job but besides will be able to raise the household income. ( Oduyoye, 2007:22 ) .By making so the adult male is secured from working double. And more interesting, a hubby will hold peace of head knowing that after his decease his married woman and kids will non be mistreated by the remainder of his household. Women 's part was non truly valued in footings of Development.That is why pne may ague that

sexism constitute a stubling block as adult females are considered as inactive agents in the procedure of the development whereas, if they were to be valued, their input should hold boosted our Development. I dare to state that taking as mention to our modern clip where work forces and adult females appear to ocupy the same place and present the same service.Thus tooday we have Nurses, Doctors, Enginneer, Political parties Leaders such as DA in South Africa and so on.In one word, one may state that African Development will non come on untill all of those who are oppressed by sexism and partiacrhy are free. Thus the UNDP 's statement ( Unitied Nations development Programme ) , 'Gender equality and adult females 's authorization are cardinal to accomplishing for inclusive, democratic, violence-free and sustainable development in Africa '' and therefore a status to accomplishing the Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs ) ' . www.undp.org/porvety

The impact of our spiritual and societal beliefs on development.

Land and devolpment: Culture has a immense impact on land development. Werner Sombart argued that 'any economic system is nil but a manifestation of the existing civilization. And, a civilization exists because of a certain spirit. ' ( 12 ) .Thus in subdivision I wish to discourse some of both positive and negative impacts of Culture on Agriculture and environmnet in general given its function in Development. Talking about African civilization and development, it is of import to understand that knoweledge as a important constituent of engineering raises some pertinent inquiries in Arfrican civilization. Its cultural building raises inquiries like: What value is placed on different signifiers of cognition? ( And by whom

) Who has entree to, or entree to work cognition? Consequently, single are non free to prosecute in research given that merely a certain group of people has entree to that field.Often, it is found that our Culture imposes some patterns that do n't promote development. For istance, in some countries where the tradition is still extremely ascertained, we find that there are some topographic points which are reserved purely for ascendants worship every bit good as some limitations to cultivate some merchandises. This can be a challenge when the authorities want to develop a such country either in footings infrustructrure, roads or pattern an Agriculture which will profit many.Often, when the Government insists and travel against the will of the occupant of that country, it is found that the undertaking is ne'er successful given that as the ABCD methods states a true development undertaking, has to be initiated by people and with people. ( Class notes )

Impact of Lobola on development: Beside the issue of land, another pertinent issue in our modern clip which arises from civilization to be discussed is the issue of Lobola and marrying ceremonials.Today, in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa, the issue of Lobola present a stumblig block to development for different persons. Originally, Lobola was meant to show a nexus between the two households. Harmonizing to one of my South African friends, lobola was 'like '' a gift of grasp to the best familly. Howerever, as clip goes on, this pattern has changed its purpose and has inclination to go a concern whereas life does non ever let it. Consequently, most twosome ends up in debts.Speaking about development,

this pattern does impede financially the new twosome from accomplishing other ends such as instruction of quality of both their kids and themselves because they can non afford it.In the hereafter, this state of affairs impact both the familly and the Nation as we can merely bring forth a service of quality if we have rceived an instruction of good quality. Furthermore, any carefull observor, will reason with me that the economical state of affairs doe no more allow to banquet for a long period.Thus to implement the new twosome into eternal parties and ceremonials merely in the name of civilization is irrespective to what is defined as Sustainable Development as Harmonizing to The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, `` development is sustainable if it meets the demands of the Present without compromising the ability of future coevalss to run into their ain demands. `` .Here the point I am seeking to do is that there are many cultural patterns that may look to be fastidious whereas they do n't promote nest eggs. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr1996/ )

Deseases, Culture and Development: Today, no state in the World is unacquainted of HIV and AIDS. Harmonizing to the study generated by the UNDP in 2007, South Africa was sing the most terrible AIDS in the World. 5.7 1000000s of Peoples populating with HIV and about 1,000 AIDS ' deceases happening every twenty-four hours. In its efort to contend this deasease, South African Goverment together with Who ( World Health Organization ) spent 1000000s of Rand in order to back up people who are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.

( hypertext transfer protocol:

//www.avert.org/aidssouthafrica.htm ) One of the grounds why this desease continue to distribute highly beyond major is our behavior due to our cultural beliefs and patterns.Some of the patterns to see here are levirate mariage and poligamy. Levirage mariage implies that when the male parent of the house dies, his brother has to replace him. And, frequently this happen inspite of the want of the married woman of the desease.Consequently, this pattern perpuates the spread of HIV in instance one of the new twosome is already infected. Apart from levirate mariage, polygamy which is accepted in most African Culture like Zulu civilization for case is another obstacle.Furthermore, beside levirate mariage and Polygamy, the manner our tradition conceives and trades with Drug Enforcement Administrations such as HIV and Aids and many others such as Swine Flu, Cholera and so on frequently end in black consequence. On 30th of November 2006 for case, the SACC adressed its concern about a traditional therapist who claimed to hold cured 500 HIV-positive people with the usage of herbs which acording to the invistigation done it was merely a manner of pulling people to pull their attending to traditional medicines. ( http: //www.mg.co.za/article/2006-11-29-church-council-outraged-over-aidscure-claim ) Beside that, some traditional therapist do frequently propose method which instead than taking to the remedy promote the spread of HIV. This, being because they have another apprehension of the disease. Some believe that by kiping with a virging miss they would acquire rid of the desease, others argue that the usage of Condoms is non in conformity with our culture.I remember in my civilization that there is an uneven say `` ntawurya umunwa wugaye `` intending ``

no adult male can eat the oral cavity closed '' connoting that a adult male could ne'er hold sex and halt the seeds from come ining the female private part.Others will travel even farther by reasoning that rubbers are Western 's assert used to distribute the desease among Black People in other to kill off them. Consequently, these believes have been the cause of decease of many talented and energetic immature people indispensable for the development of Africa. Thus while promoting our immature coevals to presume the continuity of our Culture, we should be acute to believe critically approximately certain patterns that hinder the Development of our people. Beside that, each African should endeavor to cut down the cost of back uping people populating with HIV and AIDSas it has immense reverberation on national economic system.

Impact of HIV on Development

South African Government spends 1000000s of rand each month to contend the desease and particularly in the support of people populating with HIVand AIDS by supplying ERVs and other medicines including the distribution of free condoms.These immense sum of financess which are used to back up people populating whith HIV and AIDS constitute a large doomed as there should be used to back up many other undertakings such as Education, scientific research, the battle against Women subjugation and offense, and different surveies that may assist to kep our Environmnent from debasement and many other undertakings which in return will lend to the Development procedure. By knocking the investing in the battle against HIV and AIDS, I am non reasoning that it worthless project.I make believe that Peoples who are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS

are still people who deserve self-respect and support. This being because first of all, they remain human like others and, most of them are indispensable for our Development. However, the point I am seeking to do is that the support of people populating with HIV and AIDS is really costy.Therefore, wherever possible we should be willing to disassociate ourself from any pattern that favor the spreading of HIV and AIDS in this instance certain cultural pratices and believs mentioned above.

Impact of Christianity on Development.

Talking about the church as one facet that has shaped our civilization ( cfr debut ) , While talking about Development and Culture, it might look easy to knock what had been passed on to us by our sires. One of the grounds is because ; these cultural patterns appear to be excessively old. Some of them are non even in pattern today.They are merely portion of our history though we claim them to be portion of our civilization.And ; frequently we merely refer to them when it suits us as a manner to support our manhood, political statement and so on for case. However, if we will hold to prosecute critically, I think we should talk more about what appears to be a burning issue. Therefore in my position, it is indispensable while discoursing civilization and development non to go forth aside Christianity. This being as discussed before, the manner we pattern Christianity can represent a culture.Though it is universally known that Chrisitianity is a faith, I wish to ague that Christian life is itself a civilization. Thus, merely as one can prosecute critically with his/her civilization, we should besides be

bold to discus some of the impacts of Christianity on Development.

Positive impact of Christianity on Development: One of the positive impacts of Christianity for us as African is that it has free us from diferent ancestoral patterns which do n't promote development. This is for istance the entire dependence on religious bureaus and burying that we are the keepers of the earth.Beside that, Christianity does promote difficult working. Therefore looking unto Jesus, Paul ( He who does non work should non eat ) . And, today, some churches have sort to prophesy the prosperity Gospel. This sort of Gospel has some good facets of development in a sense that it does promote people to cognize that it is their male parent 's will that they may thrive ( poetry ) .Some persons argue that one of the ground why Europ is more developed than Africa is because we as African put the religious kingdom foremost and sabotage our ability to create.This is frequently explained by the fact that in Europ, during the modern period, Europe develop dramatically particularly in footings of engineering and economic system.

Negative impact of Christianity on Development

Though one may state that Christianity enclose numberous positive facets for development, one has besides to be cognizant of the negative impacts that Christianity can return on Development and frequently due to the manner, we interpret the Bibles. Often, church leaders do learn that we have to populate a hapless life. We have to look on things above. We should non maintain our tresearues on Earth here joint and will eat them. Therefore, a missinterpretaion of such poetries has leaded some of trusters to be satisfied

with their porvety and hence impede them from seing any demand for development. Beside that, another negative facet of Christian instructions is its impassibility visavis to issues sing development and politic.Scholars in presents came to the decision that such attitude reveals ignorance given that the church operates within the society and whaterver strikes the society besides strikes the church ( Simangaliso... . ) . It is therfore good clip that the church starts to prosecute with non merely religious issues but besides societal issue.

Decision

In Conclusion, this essay has discussed the impact of Culture on Development. I have demonstrated how some aspects of civilization such as partiacrchy, sexims and Chrsitainity do impact both positively but most mostly negatively on Development progress.Most extensively ; I have discussed how civilization in Africa has hindered the development procedure. I came to the apprehension that there is no civilization which is cosmopolitan and there is no civilization which is ageless. Consequently, each cultural pattern should be understood from its historical and socialogical context and applied in contemplation with the current political, societal and economic state of affairs.

Mention

• Ife, J. ( 2002 ) , Community Development, ( 2nd edition ) , Pearson, Sydney Australia NIV Bible
• Nyangweso. , M 2007, FemaleCircumcision, Maryknoll, New York: Orbis
• Oduyoye, Mercy Amba, 1986.Hearing and Knowing: Theological Contemplations on Christianity in Africa, Maryknoll: Orbis.2001
• Simangaliso, R, 2005, Theology and Education, the function of the Church in instruction for societal transmutation: A Methodist part, Cecil Renaud Library Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
• Speckman MT, 2007, A Biblical Vision for Africa 's development? , Cluster Publication
• hypertext transfer protocol: //www.mg.co.za/article/2006-11-29-church-council-outraged-over-aidscure-claim
• hypertext transfer protocol: //www.avert.org/aidssouthafrica.htm
• www.undp.org/porvety
• hypertext transfer protocol: //hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr1996/
• Schech, S and Haggis, J. ( erectile dysfunction ) ( 2002
  

) Development: A Cultural Studies Reader, Publisher Blackwell