Contesting Development Practice and Discourse in Cold War Guatemala.

The article "Contesting Development Practice and Discourse in Cold War Guatemala" by Sarah Foss explores the complexities of development efforts in Guatemala during the Cold War. Foss argues that state-led development initiatives were contested and reinterpreted by various actors, including indigenous communities who exercised agency despite the political turmoil and violence in the country. The article examines specific programs and initiatives, such as literacy and agrarian reform efforts, community development programs, and military-led initiatives. Foss highlights the importance of understanding the perspectives and actions of indigenous communities and intermediaries who facilitated interactions between aid recipients and state agencies. The article also discusses how changing understandings of development influenced the implementation and reception of these initiatives. While the article does not provide a definitive evaluation of the success or failure of development, it suggests that success can be found in the spaces where development practitioners and indigenous communities negotiated their own terms. [Extracted from the article]