From Post Development to Social Movement on Resource Management through Knowledge Space in the Mekong Region

Abstract

This article presents a synthesis of the concepts of post-development, social movement, and knowledge space. It points out that the shortcomings of post-development could be corrected by examining it within the framing process of social movement theory acting in knowledge space. These concepts are used to interpret the construction of a large-scale hydropower project in the Mekong region. This project involves the proposed Xayabury Dam, which will have trans-boundary impacts within the context of Mekong regionalization. The article also highlights the fact that we cannot reject a particular set of knowledge in forming the existence of regionalization regarding common resource management. Knowledge space as a common place becomes the third space for heterogeneous knowledge in exchange, negotiation cooperation, integration, improvement, and practice in managing large scale development projects in the Mekong region. Regarding this issue, knowledge space can be a common ground for an overlapping diversity of knowledge that is moving out from its situated zone.