Globalization of the Other Underdevelopment: Third World Cultural Identities

Dhaouadi, Mahmoud. Globalization of the Other Underdevelopment: Third World Cultural Identities. Kuala Lumpur: A. S. Noordeen, 2002. 161 pp.

Unlike the traditional literature on the causes of underdevelopment in the developing world, the present book under our review is about the "other underdevelopment," a psycho-cultural underdevelopment, which is expressed, according to Professor Dhaouadi, in desire to imitate blindly the Western way of life, thought, and development pattern. His conclusion is that this adverse condition stems partly from globalization of economy, language, culture, and partly from earlier colonial domination that imposed a culture of cultural and educational globalization. Providing a sociological explanation, he argues that the law of imitation enunciated by the Arab historian-sociologist, Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) applies because the vanquished party always tends to follow the victors, who are in this case Westerners. Making another rational judgment, the author suggests that the developing world should make a distinction between Westernization and modernization. he cites the Malaysian prime minister's advice to learn English as a way to scientific modernity without damaging the regional values.

With six chapters, containing varied useful aspects such as cultural underdevelopment in the developing world in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as indices of human underdevelopment, the slim book organizes a thesis having three clear dimensions. First, the book examines the dual roots of underdevelopment in the Muslim world and other developing countries. Whereas the general acute underdevelopment in Africa has been explained by two factors, namely result of colonialism and complicated domestic linguistic conditions, the North African Arabic belt in Muslim regions has problem in underdevelopment in the form of widespread use of "Franco-Arabe." Here, of course, there is a difference between the attitudes of women and men. On a theoretical explanation of underdevelopment the book explains the under-development caused by western-centric conceptualization. Thus, a major conclusion is drawn to suggest that psycho-cultural underdevelopment is not materialistic in nature (p. 22). The indigenous traditional values of Islam should be upheld for due understanding of the local traditions that can help the growth of a work culture, he concludes.

Second, the "worrying pattern" of capitalistic development has been responsible for an unbalanced situation in development in the poorer countries. One conclusion is that the Western enlightenment oriented rational material exploitation of the earth's natural resources has destroyed the Orient's "cosmic vision of things." Like other orientalists, he argues that the difference between the West and the East cannot be erased without damaging the original behavior of the East. In explaining this unfortunate development, the book uses the Western literature also. For instance, the author cites Schumacher's Small is Beautiful (1976) that stands for a non-Western pattern of development for better use of material resources as well respect for individual's spiritual dignity. Professor Dhaouadi recommends that a sociological analysis in researches is needed to capture the meaning of individual behavior to detect the causes of shortcomings in attitudes.

Third, unlike many others, he cites examples from several Muslim countries to make a special case in his underdevelopment hypothesis. Although each Muslim country has its own special problems, there appears to be a general pattern. Educational and ideological backgrounds of the political leaderships are connected with language nationalization in Algeria and Tunisia. he argues that the Tunisian society has a better chance of success than its Algerian counterparts in its ability to launch a campaign of Arabization, because the Tunisians had kept a good standing of Arabic. Nevertheless, the Algerian leadership thought it wise to take political decision in favor of Arabization despite the fact that Algeria had considerable local and varied linguistic and cultural background.

The overall recommendations are that developing countries should make choices that maintain or add to their natural political and social capital. Meaningful change will only occur only when the developing world takes rational choice without being led by cultural inferiority complex. More importantly the author concludes, perhaps in line with Stephen Jay Gould (1991, "unenchanted evening"), who writes that humans cannot win the battle to save species and environments without forging an emotional bond between nature and us as well.

There are a few minor problems with this volume. First, it has no index for reference. second, there are few repetitive words and even quotations (example Ibn Khaldun's quotes). Third, the book needs a better structural organization. Otherwise, the message of this Tunisian scholar is clear and well deserved. The students and scholars of historical development of economic and cultural process will benefit from this volume. The book sends message psychoanalysis is needed for our understanding of various forms of underdevelopment.