Neoliberalism, Rural Underdevelopment and Geographies of the Global South
Warwick E. Murray
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Reform and progress are sorely needed in the rural areas of the global South, and human geography can help in generating the required theoretical understanding. In this article, I briefly review the unfolding of neoliberalism across the rural spaces of the periphery, commenting on some of the political, economic and environmental implications. Particular attention is paid to Latin America where – despite the fact that rural populations are low by Southern measures – neoliberalism’s ravaging influence is more acutely apparent than anywhere. Imbuing this discussion is a critical perspective on contemporary rural geography, and its reticence to engage with underdevelopment.