Introduction: relocating culture in development and development in culture

This introduction situates the contributions of articles in this special issue within the so-called cultural turn of development. It examines relevant debates to locate ways in which this special issue goes beyond the decisive disregard for and the glib celebration of ‘culture’ in development thinking. Together the papers contribute to rethinking three key questions: 1) whether ‘culture’ ultimately constructs ideological security for the market economy and imperialism; 2) whether recognition of voice, creative difference and inter-cultural learning can prevail over structural inequalities and violence; and 3) whether ‘culture’ is destined to serve instrumental purposes of capital and governmentality. This introductory article articulates an agenda for a cultural turn in development by taking the shared history of ‘culture’ and ‘development’ seriously.