Why is it alright to do development ‘over there’ but not ‘here’? Changing vocabularies and common strategies of inclusion across the ‘First’ and ‘Third’ Worlds

Abstract

'We were told that Easterhouse housing estate in Glasgow is considered Europe's worse slum. We thought this was ludicrous-these people had assured housing, electricity, hot and cold water, refrigerators, gas or electric cooking ranges. By Indian standards this was middle-class luxury. At the back of my mind, I could see anaemic, emaciated adivasi women carrying water in pots from half a kilometre away; huts without elec tricity and women searching for firewood every day, thankful if they had a kilo of rice to feed their families ... Then suddenly, we were hit by the reality of the poverty surrounding us in Glasgow. Most of the men in Easter house hadn't had a job in 20 years. They were dispiri ted, depressed, often alcoholic. Their self-esteem had gone. Emotionally and mentally they were far worse off than the poor where we worked in India, even though the physical trappings of poverty were less stark'. (Marcel-Thekaekara 1999)