Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1986 - 2004 (Creation)
Level of description
Subfonds
Extent and medium
26.56 linear feet of textual records; 21 VHS tapes; 36 Compact Discs (CD); 2 Digital Video Discs (DVD); 2 Audio-cassettes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Shelton H. Davis, American anthropologist, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1942. He received undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Anthropology from Antioch College (Yellow Springs, Ohio) in 1965, and a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology from Harvard University in 1970.
Prior to his employment at the World Bank, Davis followed academic pursuits, which included teaching Native American and Latin American anthropology undergraduate courses at Harvard University from 1971 to 1973. He additionally helped found the indigenous documentation center Indigena, Inc., in Berkeley, California from 1973 to 1975. In 1975, he established the Anthropological Research Center (ARC) in Boston, Massachusetts, which devoted its research to analyzing the effects of development policies on indigenous communities and the environment. In his time at ARC, Davis published one of his most influential works: Victims of the Miracle: Development and the Indians of Brazil (1977). From 1984 to 1986, Davis served as visiting scholar at the Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
In 1986, Davis began his career with the World Bank. He worked in multiple roles during his career at the World Bank, including: consultant in the Office of Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Operational Policies and Programs (OESA), 1986-1987; Senior Sociologist in the Regional Technical Department, Environment Unit, Latin America and Caribbean Region (LATEN), 1987-1991; Senior Sociologist in the Environment Department, Environmental Assessments and Programs Division (ENVAP), 1991-1992; Principal Sociologist for the Social Policy and Resettlement Division (ENVSP), 1993-1997; Principal Sociologist in the Environment Department, Social Development Department (SDV), 1997-1998; Sector Manager in the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Unit , Latin America and Caribbean Region (LCSES), 1998-1999; and Sector Manager in the Social Development Unit, Latin America and Caribbean Region (LCSEO), 2000-2004. Davis retired from the World Bank in 2004, but continued to perform consultant work from 2004 to 2008.
His work at the World Bank focused on developing policies that safeguarded the rights of indigenous communities, protected biodiversity, and helped promote sustainable and responsible social development for Bank-funded projects. As a World Bank sociologist, Davis took part in assessments, and reviews of Bank-funded development projects and designed procedures, and methods to evaluate potential social and environmental impacts on indigenous and minority communities from modern development. He additionally helped review World Bank development policies and advised the Bank to include social impact considerations, and embed certain compliance mechanisms in policy to address challenges such as involuntary resettlement of indigenous peoples, conservation of biodiversity, and exclusion of indigenous peoples in development projects. In this regard, Davis played a key role in developing the operational directive "OD 4.20- Indigenous Peoples" adopted by the World Bank in 1991 and its successor "OP 4.10 - Indigenous Peoples" in 2005. He also organized numerous training sessions, conferences, and workshops related to indigenous rights, environment, and sustainability, including World Bank conferences: "Traditional Knowledge and Sustainable Development" (1994) and "Poverty Reduction and Social Exclusion" (1996). As Sector Manager in the Social Development and Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Units of the Latin America and Caribbean Region (LCSES AND LCSEO), Davis oversaw the compliance, enforcement, training, and implementation of the safeguards he helped to cultivate in World Bank development policy.
While employed at the World Bank, Davis published numerous books, articles, and reports on indigenous communities of Latin America, including: Protecting Amerindian Lands: A Review of World Bank Experience with Indigenous Land Regularization Programs in Lowland South America (1992) and The Maya Movement and National Culture in Guatemala (2004). He additionally taught at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, University of California, Berkeley, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston University, Clark University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Georgetown University.
Shelton H. Davis passed away at the age of 67 in Arlington County, Virginia on May 27, 2010.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Records were transferred from Latin America and Caribbean Region, Social Development Family (LCSEO) using approved records retention and disposition schedules following Davis's retirement from the Bank in August 2004.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The sub-fonds consists of records related to Davis's early operational work as a Bank Sociologist on impacts of development on indigenous communities, primarily in the Latin America and Caribbean Region, Environment Unit (LATEN). It also contains records related to Davis's work in the Bank's Environment (ENV) and Social Development (SDV) departments developing social safeguard policies for indigenous peoples, and to his training initiatives on policy implementation. External research, reference, and conference materials highlight Davis's diverse research interests and collaboration with agencies outside the Bank to raise awareness on indigenous issues. Lastly, records related to project support and training outline the role Davis played as the Sector Manager in the Latin America and Caribbean Region in implementing safeguard policies in regional units.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Records are subject to the World Bank Policy on Access to Information.
Conditions governing reproduction
Records are subject to the Copyright Policy of the World Bank Group.
Language of material
- English
- Spanish
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
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Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Internal World Bank Group Archives rules based on ISAD(G).
Disclosure status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
23 January 2014