Contact Zones

Abstract

Development theory presupposes historical specificity, but has not appropriately dealt with historical change. This inadequacy became more evident in the 1970s when history and other social sciences experienced a paradigmatic shift incited by the “cultural turn.” Motivated by this shift, mainly its emanating concept of “contact zones,” the paper adds to the literature occupied with the directions development theory may take in order to grapple with historical change as a result of the interaction between agency and structure. JEL Classification: B41, F50, O10