Development anthropology

Development anthropology and anthropology of development is a multidisciplinary field of anthropology and ethnology with the main focus on " International Development " and development aid. The term development refers to the voluntary social actions of institutions, businesses, governments and individual actors who try to change the economic, technical, political and / or social life of a locality, especially in so-called developing countries.

With on-site studies, the anthropologist tries various developments that have taken place in a locality and continue to take place, describe, analyze and understand. Effects on the local population, the environment and social and economic areas of life will be studied.

Some theorists distinguish between the ' anthropology of development', in which the development is the study object, and a " development anthropology " or " anthropology of development", in anthropology as an applied research is used. This distinction is seen by others as outdated.

Christoph Campregher distinguishes three approaches to the development of anthropology:

1). The instrumental, action - and policy- oriented approach is represented by scientists who are practically involved in development work, for example, as a consultant. 2). The critical constructivist approach focuses on the power relations between donor countries in Europe and North America and former colonies. 3). The interactionist approach, the scope of action of the actors in their different social and cultural worlds at the center of development cooperation.