• norsk
    • English
  • English 
    • norsk
    • English
  • Login
View Item 
  •   Home
  • Faculty of Social Sciences
  • Centre for Development Studies
  • Master's theses in Development Management
  • View Item
  •   Home
  • Faculty of Social Sciences
  • Centre for Development Studies
  • Master's theses in Development Management
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Transition from subsistence to monetary economy- a counterdiscourse to mainstream development strategies : case study from Samburu distict, Kenya

Lesamana, Astrid Melissa Jocelyn
Master thesis
Thumbnail
View/Open
Melissa Lesamana-1.pdf (3.068Mb)
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/11250/135169
Date
2009
Metadata
Show full item record
Collections
  • Master's theses in Development Management [90]
Abstract
The present thesis is a case study with aim of performing an investigation of the process

unfolding from the subsistence to a monetary economy. It is juxtaposed to counter

mainstream development strategies amongst the Samburu people in Samburu District, Kenya.

The objective has been trying to analyze the perceptions, ideas, transition- stages and patterns

amongst the Samburu people as well as the reveal negative consequences that can occur from

implementation of development and modernization strategies.

The Samburu people are classified as an indigenous population (IPACC 2007). Indigenous

people around the world have often one unfortunate thing in common; negative outcomes

from modernization and assimilation processes. While the Samburu people at the first glance

appears to be a rather static and intact example of preservation of indigenous cultures, it is of

course not true as all cultures have traces and evidence of changes occurring in their

livelihoods and traditions (Spencer 1997). Since they usually have a different holistic

worldview than the majority of the world’s population, including development organizations,

it is important to have bear in mind while creating and implementing development strategies

in such communities.

Through a thorough chapter of theoretical framework and literature review, the common

discourses on indigenous people, pastoralism and development are discussed. Theories and

concepts forming the basis for this analysis are also examined in the same chapter.

Common researches on pastoralist communities have mainly concluded that they are

maintaining a practice which leads to environmental degradation (Spencer 1997; McCabe

1997). But and loss is also one of the main issues proven negative among indigenous people.

Populations relying on economic and social systems founded on natural resources are indeed

more fragile to development initiatives and land loss than those who mainly rely on purchased

goods (Survival international 2007).

The thesis reveals that a historically forced first stage of transition to monetary economy

indeed changed the Samburu people. By being introduced to development strategies that are

founded on a monetary economy, many of have become marginalized in terms of a monetary

poverty which often bear negative consequences such as prostitution, alcoholism, crime and

violence. While solely depending on pastoralism and subsistence economy, these outcomes

were rarely occurring.

Five different locations in Kenya have been subject to this research, four of them located in

Samburu District; Nairimirimo, Maralal, Barsaloi and Archers Post while the fifth research

areas was Mtwapa, Mombasa. A mixed method consisting of both qualitative and quantitative

methodology has been applied in the thesis.

The chapter on empirical findings and analysis is divided into four main sections. They

analyse and discuss various mainstream development strategies and modernization processes

which have had negative results on the Samburus but commonly are irreversible. Mainstream development strategies in this thesis are associated with sedentary issues, urbanization,

agricultural expansion, education, commercialization, business entrepreneurship and tourism.

KEY WORDS: PASTORALISM, DEVELOPMENT CRITIQUE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, SAMBURU.

________ _______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ____ _________ _______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ _______ _______ ______ ______
Description
Masteroppgave i development management- Universitetet i Agder 2009
Publisher
Universitetet i Agder : University of Agder

Contact Us | Send Feedback

Privacy policy
DSpace software copyright © 2002-2019  DuraSpace

Service from  Unit
 

 

Browse

ArchiveCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsDocument TypesJournalsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsDocument TypesJournals

My Account

Login

Statistics

View Usage Statistics

Contact Us | Send Feedback

Privacy policy
DSpace software copyright © 2002-2019  DuraSpace

Service from  Unit