CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2013
| Author | Arzieva, Aikokul Murakimovna |
|---|---|
| Title | Reforming Waste Dump in Bishkek With the Intervention of Development Aid |
| Summary | Abstract According to some estimates more than 15 million people worldwide depend on retrieving recyclable materials from the waste stream (Medina 2010; Wilson, Velis and Cheesman 2006; Samson 2009). Recent works on waste pickers have largely been produced by the “consultant view” in development sphere. These works mainly argue (i) that waste pickers are poor and vulnerable (Rankokwane and Gwebu 2006; Samson 2009). (ii) that empowerment through formalization, normalization will lead to improved income and recognition (Samson 2009; Medina 2010, Dias 2010, Iskandar 2010). (iii) that support to and integration of manual waste picking is means towards sustainable development in developing countries (Medina 2010; Samson 2009; Rankokwane and Gwebu 2006; Wilson, Velis and Cheesman 2006). Recently, the waste dump in Bishkek also fell into the dynamics of “reforming”; it caught the attention of international development for environmental reasons but the environmental hazard is just one side of the issue. It had become a working and living place for internal migrants who were struggling to adapt to changing economic conditions after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The results of my ethnographic research conducted from December through March of 2013 show that discursive realities created within the development discourse do not fully correspond with the lived realities of waste pickers in Bishkek. Study shows that the picture is much more complicated: (i) that waste pickers make us question what is “poor” and “vulnerable’ may mean in certain context; (ii) they are not supportive of formalization and normalization solutions that are believed to “empower” them; (iii) they question “development work”. In the context of waste picking at an unsanitary waste dump, talking about sustainable development seems like not sharing common meaning and understanding of things between various stakeholders. |
| Supervisor | Andreas Dafinger, Dan Rabinowitz |
| Department | Sociology MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2013/arzieva_aikokul.pdf |
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