The Many Faces of Socioeconomic Change

The Many Faces of Socioeconomic Change explores how economic, sociocultural, and political aspects of human progress have been studied since Adam Smith. It argues that socioeconomic development emerged with the creation of grand evolutionary sequences of social progress, but by the middle of the twentieth century, its scope narrowed to economically based strategies. In the twenty-first century, development research is being pursued using research methods that generate disconnected results, making it unlikely that any grand narrative will be created.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 03 October 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Development is a multifaceted phenomenon that encompasses both economic and sociological dimensions. The Many Faces of Socioeconomic Change delves into the exploration of how economic, socio-cultural, and political aspects of human progress have been studied since the time of Adam Smith. This comprehensive book surveys narratives of development, ranging from early evolutionary models to contemporary development theories. It outlines the significant long-term shifts in how socioeconomic development has been conceptualized throughout history.

The author argues that socioeconomic development emerged as a result of grand evolutionary sequences of social progress, which were the products of Enlightenment and mid-Victorian thinkers. By the mid-twentieth century, when the focus on accelerating development gained momentum, the scope of the topic narrowed to economically based strategies. However, by the 1960s, confidence in these strategies began to wane, as evidenced by indifferent results and a general loss of trust in economists' claims of scientific expertise.

In the twenty-first century, development research is pursued using methods that yield disconnected results. Consequently, it appears unlikely that any grand narrative will be constructed in the future, and Neo-liberalism will likely be the last of its kind of socioeconomic theory. This book offers a broad scope of content and provides a clear exposition of academic thinking, guiding the reader through the ways in which policies adopted as a consequence of modern theories have been less effective due to neglect or a misunderstanding of the social context within which they operate.

Weight: 328g
Dimension: 233 x 158 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192882011