Interrogating ‘Gender’ in Development Policy and Practice

Development policies often adopt 'gender' as a core component, yet its implementation diverges from feminist goals of social justice and equal power relations. This study examines tourism-based microenterprise funding at Copán, Honduras, revealing how 'gender' is interpreted differently by international institutions like the World Bank, local governments, and project implementers. These varied understandings led to contradictory outcomes, ultimately failing to integrate indigenous women into tourism development. The research combines policy document analysis with interviews, exposing the complexities and contradictions in gender integration efforts.

Ferguson, L. (2010). Interrogating ‘Gender’ in Development Policy and Practice. International Feminist Journal of Politics, 12(1), 3–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616740903429080