Jean-Fran?ois Bayart expresses sharp criticism of the approach that explains social phenomena in terms of interactions with a stable, homogeneous culture. An understanding of development problems requires putting aside culturalist causality, as this approach makes it difficult to grasp the full complexity of concrete historical situations, and returning to a precise analysis of social institutions and movements. Explanations for development are more likely to be found in a combination of parameters, such as the State, territory, and contingent historical events.