Principal Investigator: dr hab. Katarzyna Dembicz

National Science Center, OPUS

2019-2022

The existence of various development paths depending on the specific place, and thus the final effects of this process, indicate that development should be studied from different perspectives and places. Our intention is to examine local perceptions of development including the discourses around this topic, through selected local communities of Central America. This is the main goal of the project, with the hypothesis, that the local communities are subjected to westernization of their ways of life, through the localization of infrastructural projects, as well as clash of values of Western civilization with traditions and the values of local cultures. This is expressed in their developmental dilemmas and discourses.

We will conduct direct observation of local societies in the context of their interaction with the infrastructure projects, such as:

• Hydroelectric plants (Reventazón in Costa Rica and Barro Blanco in Panama),
• Mega tourist parks (Guanacaste in Costa Rica and Bahia de Tela in Honduras),
• Mines „Libertad” and „La India” in Nicaragua.

Research Team:

Prof. Dr hab. Mirosława Czerny (University of Warsaw)

Dr Helene Roux (Université Paris 1)

Mgr Oscar Barboza Lizano (Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica)

Mgr Ewelina Biczyńska (IPSOS Polska / University of Warsaw )

Mgr Xinia Carrillo (Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica)