How we classify countries and people—and why it matters

The dichotomies are everywhere. Countries are developed or developing, in the West or the Rest of the World, in the Global North or the Global South, they are high-income or low and middle-income, the list goes on. The terms all have their origins, some more problematic than others, and none of them are perfect. This paper prompts us to reflect on how language shapes our perception of reality. If you don’t have time for the entire paper, have a look at the table on pages 2 and 3.