Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book introduces a feminist critique of human capital theory. It demonstrates the gendered logic that underpins human capital theory and highlights the way that human capital theory has been deployed in Gender and Development governance. Human capital theory has been influential in development policy thinking since the 1980s, although it has achieved the most widespread notoriety as part of the post-Washington Consensus and human development paradigm. The book outlines the conceptual problem at hand and proposes a new approach by introducing the feminist critique of human capital theory. It takes the World Bank as an empirical focus, exploring human capital theory in the Bank's past and present gender work. The book looks to the broader development context, addressing the implications of human capital logics in girl-power development campaigns and public-private development partnership for gender equality.