Dimensions of International Development

This course sits at the intersection of the theory and practice of international development. It seeks to offer students a set of theoretical and analytical tools that they can apply to the active praxis of policy making and implementation in developing country contexts. The emphasis is both on gaining a deeper understanding of the trajectory of developmental transitions underway in the global south and obtaining a more nuanced understanding of the everyday realities of “doing” development. Development is about navigating complexity. It requires designing and implementing policy in contexts of pervasive structural inequality, weak institutions, and inadequate state capacity. Successful cases where countries have achieved long-term, sustained growth and social development offer important insights into understanding the dynamics of developmental transitions.