

Infrastructure, Development, and Racialization
Nov 24, 2024
Begüm Adalet, an assistant professor at Cornell University, dives into the intersections of infrastructure, development, and racialization. She discusses how international development efforts often marginalize communities and draw on histories of colonialism. Adalet highlights the complexities of the Green Revolution in Turkey and its impacts on class and race. She also examines how anti-colonial movements challenge these narratives, advocating for alternative approaches to built environments that empower marginalized identities.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Development's Dark Side
- Development projects aim to uplift disadvantaged populations through interventions.
- However, they often perpetuate social difference and create deficits.
Interconnected Power Dynamics
- Begüm Adalet's work focuses on the intersection of empire, colonialism, and racism.
- She studies how these forces shape ideas, practices, and material conditions transnationally.
Green Revolution's Conflicting Interpretations
- The Green Revolution had conflicting interpretations: a tool for good or imperial control.
- Adalet examines its role in Turkey's biopolitical infrastructures and its pacification of Kurdish regions.