Asian Rethinking On Development

Asian Rethinking On Development - A Symposium

by P O Sharma


Asian Rethinking On Development grew out of a Symposium jointly organized by Unesco and the UN Asian Development Institute in November 1975 at Bangkok. The Symposium Discussed Four Working papers prepared by the scholars of international repute: Professor Syed H Alatas of the University of Singapore explicated in his paper the phenomenon of Erring Modernization; Professor S C Dube, Director of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study had put in perspective the Role of social and cultural factors in development; Dr Ralph Pieris of U N Asian Development Institute had commented on The search for alternatives; and Dr Ahmad Ashraf, Director at the Plan and Budget Organization, Teheran (iran) had discussed The role of social Scientists in the new challenging situation. All these four Working papers have been reproduced in this book.


The two editors of the book-Dr Yogesh Atal and Dr Ralph Pieris-have contributed one chapter each: Pieris introduces the theme and the key issues; Atal reviews the trends of discussion in his concluding chapter.


The book is an exercise in self-searching. Asian social scientists have critically introspected themselves and have endeavoured to identify their future roles in the task of development.