This course aims to introduce students to the wide range of theories about development that have appeared over the past 60 years and more. It involves an examination of “development‟ and its various interpretations as well as its theoretical and ideological underpinnings. The course provides a comprehensive survey of development thinking from ‘classical’ development ideas to alternative and post development theories. The course then attempts to critically review contemporary debates about development, including the link between modernity and development, participation, empowerment, gender and the role of the development practitioner.

The course will cover the evolution of ideas about development and span a broad range of thinking about development and related concepts such as poverty, underdevelopment and inequality. The diverse meanings of the word ‘development’, the ways in which the various theories are structured and the fallacies embedded in them, and as well as some of the key issues that are frequently raised in conjunction with development will be raised and discussed.