Abstract

Based on social psychology and development-related literature, this paper presents a framework for analyzing people’s attitudes towards a resettlement program. It hypothesizes that the attitudes of resettlers and hosts towards a resettlement policy and practice is a function of perceived procedural justice, perceived livelihood-outcome justice, and the interaction between the two. While procedural justice refers to the fairness of the procedure with which a resettlement program is planned and implemented, livelihood-outcome justice concerns the livelihood dynamics experienced by the people because of and since the resettlement. It is argued that, in assessment of attitudes towards a resettlement scheme, one has to account for the contribution of not only the main effects of procedural and outcome variables, but also their interaction effect. The paper also highlights some issues that are worth taking into account when applying the concepts as analytical categories in development studies. There are philosophical and pragmatic grounds for the need to assess development policies and practices from the perspectives of “beneficiaries,” who are the ultimate and direct bearers of the consequences of such policies and practices.