Development

This chapter examines the complex and often contradictory perceptions of development in Central American communities affected by megaprojects. Mental boundaries are an under-researched topic, but they are directly related to individual and collective imagination. To create a panorama of local Central American visions of development, this chapter identifies the barriers they create and the spaces they define. It examines how boundaries – social, cultural, economic and generational – shape perceptions, interactions and power dynamics between the local population, investors and state actors. The study reveals competing visions of development: One rooted in collective identity, tradition and solidarity economy, and another based on individualism, market rationality and Western modernity. An important axis of division is also the subject or object view of the environment and the territory to which a community gives meaning. These divergent worldviews are further strained by issues such as intergenerational tensions and the role of education. The chapter calls for rethinking development through inclusive dialogue and epistemic plurality, and highlights the potential for community-led alternatives rooted in local values and territorial connectedness.