Facing fear: The importance of engaging with fear in development literature

Abstract

Among the numerous debates and discussions of development, the element of fear is rarely given explicit consideration. In this article, I review current development literature to demonstrate the incomplete treatment of fear, as it is often implicitly incorporated via discussions of security, power, identity, social cohesiveness or resistance. In the second part of this article, I utilize the case study of post-conflict Guatemala to examine how fear shapes, and is shaped by, development at multiple, overlapping scales. By elaborating on the complex interrelations between fear and development, this case study demonstrates the importance of directly engaging with fear in development analyses, particularly in post-conflict settings.