- A Cambridge Element by Professor Ellen Lust

Abstract

Scholars and practitioners seek development solutions through the engineering and strengthening of state institutions. Yet, the state is not the only or often even the primary arena shaping how citizens, service providers, and state officials engage in actions that constitute politics and development. These individuals are members of religious orders, ethnic communities, and other groups that make claims about them, creating incentives that shape their actions. Recognizing how individuals experience these claims and view the choices before them is essential to understanding political processes and development outcomes. Taking an institutional approach, this Element explains how the salience of arenas of authority associated with various communities and the nature of social institutions within them affect politics and development. It establishes a framework of politics and development that allows for knowledge accumulation, guides future research, and can facilitate effective programming. This title is also available as OpenAccess on Cambridge Core.

Keywords: development, social institutions, political behaviour, authority, service provision

Video Abstract: Author Ellen Lust talks about the book

Watch the CSIS talk "Everyday Choices: A Conversation with Dr. Ellen Lust"

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Comments, thoughts, questions, and opinions about the book are more than welcome. 

If you wish to discuss the book with the author, email ellen.lust@gu.se with "Everyday Choices" as the subject.