Ra?l Prebisch?s Influence on Contemporary Development Studies: A Review of Recent Literature (2010-2021)

This research examines the influence of Prebisch?s work on contemporary academic debates in development studies. To this end, a systematic literature review of studies published in the main development studies journals over the period 20102021 was conducted. A total of 139 articles were located and analyzed thematically. The articles were categorized according to their analytical approach, bibliographic citations, themes, treatment (anecdotal or deep), and misunderstandings and omissions of Prebisch?s thought. With some exceptions, most of the articles allude to Prebisch in an anecdotal way, without delving into his thought and his extensive work. The results reveal a notable lack of knowledge about a pioneering author in development studies, especially regarding the final stage of his thought in which he tried to formulate a global theory of development. Despite this, Prebisch?s thought connects with lines of research at the frontier of knowledge on the entrepreneurial state, ecologically unequal exchange, or post-extractivisms. A research and political agenda focused on his legacy requires placing at the center of the development debate issues such as the social use of surplus, the concentration of means of production, technological progress, industrialization, environmental challenges and, above all, the ethics of development.