Development as a social fact.

This article explores different perspectives on development and challenges the idea that development is an objective feature of societies. It argues that development is a social fact that is not always clearly discernible and discusses the implications for economic sociology. The article highlights the limitations of purely objectivist and constructivist interpretations of development and suggests treating development as a social fact external to individuals. It concludes by proposing a broader theoretical and research agenda that focuses on contrarians and their strategies in the development process. The text also discusses the subjective nature of development and how it is socially constructed, using the example of the World Trade Organization's special and differential treatment provisions for developing countries. It argues that understanding and exploiting existing notions of development can lead to institutional change and calls for an economic sociology that recognizes the social construction of development. The conclusion emphasizes that development is a social fact grounded in material reality but subject to imprecise measurement and assessment. It suggests that actors worldwide not only pursue development but also debate its meaning and measurement. The text highlights the importance of understanding actors who challenge prevailing valuations and assessments in order to gain a more productive theory of the development process and calls for a renewed focus on these actors and their impact on organizational and institutional change. [Extracted from the article]