Decolonizing Development: Colonial Power and the Maya

"Wainwright is to be applauded for marshalling his considerable intellectual skills to advancing our understanding of Maya colonial experiences (past and present) in the confines of Belize." (Social & Cultural Geography, February 2009)

"Theoretically sophisticated ... .It has some important things to say that are relevant to both scholars and practitioners concerned with development practices in the South today." (Geographical Journal, 2009)

"Culture studies sometimes receive a hasty, often incoherent introduction ... .Fortunately, this book is an exception. Wainwright provides a meticulous and actually readable explanation of the culture studies 'manifesto.' One of the interesting issues discussed was the Mayas' 'development' into settled farming, as opposed to their original milpa (i.e., slash and bum) agriculture. Recommended." (CHOICE, December 2008)

“Drawing on philosophy and political theory and a close study of Belize, Wainwright provides a startlingly original reading of development and its others. He shows how recognizing the national territoriality of developmental discourses highlights oft-overlooked continuities between colonialism and globalization, and forces us to reconsider the relation between metropolitan capitalism and its contestations.”
–Eric Sheppard, Department of Geography, University of Minnesota

“Joel Wainwright has produced a wide-ranging and penetrating critique of development in Belize, which puts empirical meat on the bones of postcolonial, critical, and discursive theories. Sophisticated and deeply researched, this case study will have broad appeal. It speaks to the political and economic problems of indigenous people, and to the way these troubles are intertwined with the academic obsession with studying these groups.”
–Richard Wilk, Department of Anthropology, Indiana University