Jeffrey Sachs: The Strange Case of Dr Shock and Mr Aid
With a title like this, and a front cover depicting a composite Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde-style image of the subject of this book, I'm not expecting subtleties in Japhy Wilson's Jeffrey Sachs: The Strange Case of Dr Shock and Mr Aid. Due to be published by Verso in July, the book promises "an investigation of Sach's schizophrenic career, and the worldwide havoc he has caused". It traces the economist's career from an advocate of shock therapy in the 1980s and 90s to development guru and friend to the stars in the 2000s. Following on the heels of Nina Munk's book on Sachs, The Idealist, published in 2013, this could be another bruising year for the director of Columbia's Earth Institute. Liz Ford
The Tyranny of Experts: Economists, Dictators and the Forgotten Rights of the Poor
The latest book from William Easterly, the New York University economist and sharp-tongued commentator on the hubris and failures of many development aid programmes, The Tyranny of Experts promises to trace the history of the fight against global poverty and reveal how expert-led efforts have too often done more harm than good. Subtitled "Economists, dictators and the forgotten rights of the poor", and due to be published in March by Basic Civitas Books, the study argues for a new model of development based not on technical fixes and expert solutions but rights and freedoms for those otherwise marginalised. Claire Provost
The Upside of Down: Why the Rise of the Rest is Good for the West
A new year, and a new dose of optimism from the Centre for Global Development's Charles Kenny. In 2011, the ebullient economist gave us Getting Better, a "relentlessly cheerful polemic" celebrating an era of unprecedented human development – though criticised by some readers for glossing over issues of environmental degradation. In 2014, the subject of his affection is not development aid but how the rise of emerging economies such as those in Asia is good for everybody. Sold as an antidote to prophecies of American decline, The Upside of Down, due to be published on 30 January, promises a "highly optimistic look at America's future in a wealthier world". CP
Expulsions: Brutality and Complexity in the Global Economy
Well-trodden ideas of poverty and injustice cannot fully explain the nature and consequences of today's social, economic and environmental challenges, argues Saskia Sassen, the Columbia University sociologist. Her latest book, scheduled for May publication, promises to examine a variety of issues – from soaring income inequality to the destruction of land and water bodies – in terms of "expulsions", looking at how the sheer complexity of the global economy is making it harder to trace lines of responsibility for the displacements, evictions and eradications it produces. CP
We the Peoples: A UN for the 21st Century
As secretary-general of the UN, Kofi Annan played a crucial role in launching the millennium development goals, and he retains an interest in development through various bodies. He serves as chairman of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and the Africa Progress Panel, the latter of which has argued for stronger action on illicit financial flows and for greater transparency and accountability in mining. This book of key speeches during his time at the UN, to be published in April, covers subjects from development, health, and climate change to the prevention of genocide and the ideal of diversity, and provides an insight into how his ideas and priorities were incubated. Mark Tran
Against Austerity: How We Can Fix the Crisis They Made
Fed up with austerity and puzzled at why so little has changed in the world economic order? Richard Seymour, the British Marxist writer and activist who runs the blog Lenin's Tomb, offers this analysis of how austerity is just one part of a wider elite plan to radically re-engineer society and everyday life in the interests of profit, consumerism and speculative finance. It's an argument others on the left, such as Susan George, have made, so Seymour's book – which will hit bookshelves in March – is the latest addition to the oeuvre. Seymour argues that it is possible to forge a new collective resistance and come up with alternatives to the current system. MT
The Violence of Development: Resource Depletion, Environmental Crises and Human Rights Abuses in Central America
The title of Martin Mowforth's forthcoming book, which will be published by Pluto Press in March, speaks volumes about his view of the subject. He argues that "development" in Central America is a failure. In his view, despite billions of dollars of development funding and positive indicators of economic growth, poverty remains entrenched and violence endemic. To back up his thesis, Mowforth, who lectures at the University of Plymouth, draws on development project case studies and many interviews with a range of people in Central America, including nuns, politicians, NGO representatives, trade unionists, indigenous leaders and human rights defenders. MT
Voicing Demands: Feminist Activism in Transitional Contexts
Another in the Zed Books series on Feminisms and Development, Voicing Demands examines the strategies feminist activists have employed to negotiate, organise and use their collective voice to effect change in the global south over the past two decades. Published in January, the book is edited by Sohela Nazneen and Maheen Sultan, both associated with the BRAC Development Institute in Bangladesh, and draws on essays on countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, Palestine, Egypt, Ghana and South Africa. Another Zed book to watch, which is published in March, is Feminisms, Empowerment and Development: Changing Women's Lives, edited by Andrea Cornwall and Jenny Edwards. LF
Global Democracy and the World Social Forums
The World Social Forum was established in 2001 as a counter to the dominant narrative of globalisation coming from the World Economic Forum. The two could not be further apart – not just in message, but in structure and organisation. The WSF I attended in Senegal in 2011 was a chaotic, loud affair, but it was real, passionate and – coinciding with Mubarak's resignation in Egypt – optimistic that the world could change. The second edition of this book is published by Paradigm in May, and will offer first-hand experiences of the forum's meetings, explain why it was founded and explore its continuing relevance. LF
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