Kapil Dev Regmi

Modernisation theory, ecotourism policy, and sustainable development for poor countries of the global South: perspectives from Nepal

ABSTRACT Despite its popularity as a strategy for sustainable development in the global South, ecotourism has had a mixed record in enhancing the socio-economic conditions of the rural populace. We argue that part of this failure lies in the fact that the theory and practice of ecotourism, like conventional mass tourism, has been guided by a modernisation approach to development. In this paper, we outline the historical evolution of ecotourism policy in Nepal, review the present global policy agenda of ‘ecotourism for development’, and offer a critique of modernist forms of ecotourism. Using empirical research from secondary sources on ecotourism in Nepal, we then discuss the economic, social, educational, and environmental benefits of community-based ecotourism. We conclude that to achieve sustainable development goals in Nepal and other poor countries of the global South, the focus of ecotourism for development should shift from modernist, ‘economist’ forms of ecotourism to more locally controlled, participatory forms of community-based ecotourism for sustainable development.

The political economy of 2015 Nepal earthquake: some critical reflections

ABSTRACT A massive earthquake of 7.6 magnitudes on 25 April 2015 and a major aftershock of 6.8 magnitudes on 12 May 2015 hit central Nepal. The earthquake took the lives of about 9000 people, injured about 24,000 and affected one-third of Nepal’s total population (28 million). Despite a huge amount of money (US

Conceptualising host learning in community-based ecotourism homestays

4.4 billion) pledged by the international community, reconstruction works could not take place on time. Using participatory approach to reconstruction and development as a theoretical framework and reflexivity as a methodological tool, this paper argues that the delay in reconstruction was caused by the inability of the Government of Nepal (GON) as well as the international community, mainly donors, to encourage local participation. The amount of loan pledged by the international community has increased Nepal’s debt stock rather than really helping those who are affected by the disaster. The paper concludes that the modernist top-down model of development – that both government and donors take for granted – has created roadblocks towards understanding Nepal’s contextual realities. Sustainable reconstruction and development cannot be achieved without strengthening the capability of local communities.

Can lifelong learning be the post-2015 agenda for the Least Developed Countries?

This paper draws on practice-based theorising in workplace education to conceptualise the learning of hosts in homestay provision in community-based ecotourism (CBET). The paper first discusses the spatial and social dimensions of community homestays, reviews literature on homestay tourism, cultural commodification and colonialisation of local communities, and argues that agency is due homestay hosts in negotiating CBET on their own terms. Billets model of workplace learning – describing curriculum practices, pedagogic practices and epistemological practices – is then used to conceptualise host learning in CBET, drawing on a comprehensive review of published research on homestays in CBET. The paper argues that host learning and education give hosts the capacity for local self-determination and control of ecotourism development and management. The conclusion offers directions for further research and practice.

World Bank in Nepal’s education: three decades of neoliberal reform

This paper discusses what approaches to ‘lifelong learning’ should guide the post-2015 education agenda for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) which refers to a group of 49 countries that are off-track in achieving most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Education for All goals. Reports prepared by major consultation groups such as the High Level Panel established by the United Nations and Global Thematic Consultation Group have proposed that ‘providing quality education and lifelong learning’ is an overarching post-2015 education agenda. It is an important breakthrough since ‘lifelong learning’ has been recommended; however, it is not clear what understanding(s) of lifelong learning has been articulated in those documents. How have those recommendations addressed the issues and challenges of the LDCs? In this paper, I review literature on lifelong learning and analyse major documents related to the post-2015 education agenda, especially the one prepared by UN High Level Panel. I conclude that unless the LDCs are given a leadership role for setting their goals—according to their contextual realities—the post-2015 millennium initiatives, such as ‘lifelong learning’ as a new educational agenda, will make no sense.

Critiquing Hegemony of Capitalism: A Call for Popular Education

ABSTRACT This paper critically analyses key educational policy documents produced by the World Bank mainly from the mid-1980s to 2010 with regard to implementing major educational projects in Nepal. Using critical policy sociology as a methodological tool, the paper explores how a small Himalayan nation with per capita income of about US

Habermas, lifeworld and rationality: towards a comprehensive model of lifelong learning

730 (2014) plunged into neoliberal world order during the early 1980s. The paper argues that Bank’s educational policy recommendations are guided by some underlying assumptions of neoliberalism mainly marketisation, privatisation, and decentralisation. The paper concludes that neoliberal orientation in education has almost no potential in addressing Nepal’s development challenges.

Lifelong learning and post-2015 educational goals: challenges for the least developed countries

ABSTRACT In capitalistic society freedom of individuals for making profits and accumulating wealth is understood as a universal truth. Competition among people equipped with this limited notion of freedom is taken as an inevitable prerequisite for achieving prosperity. The current body of scholarship lacks proper explanation of what makes capitalism so hegemonic that it continuously shapes human beliefs and practices. The paper argues that this limited notion of freedom has shaped our imaginary, thoughts and actions. Few people have benefitted but this imaginary has made our societies increasingly unequal and unjust. The paper conceptualises popular education as an alternative approach not only for critiquing the hegemony of capitalism but also for the creation of a more just society. The paper concludes that “popular education” could provide some useful conceptual tools—mainly conscientisation, problem posing method, study circles, and critical pedagogy—as enabling conditions to critically examine some of the hegemonic assumptions of capitalism intractably embedded in our beliefs and thoughts.

Foundational Models of Development, Underlying Assumptions and Critiques

Abstract Major supranational organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union, and the World Bank have used lifelong learning as a strategy to boost economic competitiveness both at individual and national levels. In the literature related to lifelong learning this is characterised as the economistic model of lifelong learning. The humanistic model of lifelong learning, which appears as an alternative of the economistic model, takes education and learning as a fundamental human right for all individuals irrespective of their age, gender and class. However, this model is criticised as a vague, rhetorical and utopian ideal with little potential for informing educational policy decisions at national level. Using some key Habermasian conceptualisations, mainly the colonisation of the lifeworld and communicative rationality, this paper argues that three major dimensions of human learning informed by Habermas – transformative, citizenship and intersubjective – can contribute towards the development of a more comprehensive model of lifelong learning.

Critical Discourse Analysis: Exploring its Philosophical Underpinnings

At the turn of the twenty-first century, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Education for All (EFA) goals were set by the leadership of major global institutions, including the United ...