Complex sentence using “instead” [closed]

Question

I would really need help with the following sentence.

The significance of culture and identity in development has to do not so much with the cultural factor in the process of development as with abandoning Eurocentric development thinking, i.e. development as catching up and imitation, and instead conceiving and conceptualizing development as an inclusive, liberating process, in which different worldviews are accommodated and constitute a dialogical process.

The and instead part confuses me. Instead of what? I cannot understand what it relates to. I read that instead can be used without of but still means of that. It does not make any sense in this case.

Answer 1

The instead here refers to conceiving and conceptualizing development as an inclusive, liberating process instead of Eurocentric development thinking (catching up and imitation).

Answer 2

"... abandoning Eurocentric development thinking, ..., and instead conceiving and conceptualizing development as an inclusive, liberating process, in which different worldviews are accommodated..."

The "instead" phrase contrasts Eurocentricity with a more pluralistic attitude. It may be helpful to mentally gloss over the comma-delimited "i.e." phrase.

Answer 3

The sentence would be probably be clear enough in speech with intonation and rhythm available, but the structure doesn't shine through in writing with all that adipose text hung on it and only punctuation to patch with. Let's dissect the key chunk:

*has to do [not so much with the cultural factor in the process of development as] with abandoning [Eurocentric development] thinking [, i.e. development as catching up and imitation,] and instead conceiving and conceptualizing [development] *

by leaving out the bracketed pieces or substituting variables for them

has to do with abandoning thinking [that way] and instead conceiving and conceptualizing [this way]

Note that the boldfaced conjoined gerund clauses are parallel in structure -- both are objects of the idiom have ... to do with -- and in form -- both are gerund phrases with indefinite (but coreferential) subjects. The instead is perfectly natural as part of the conjoined NP structure, after and at the beginning of the clause, although it could just as easily go at the end of the clause, after [this way].