Sociological Theories of Development

3.0 credits · Graduate

With the transformation of former colonies into developing countries, the notion of development emerged as a key conceptual framework for conceptualizing global hierarchies in wealth and power. Sustained by an apparatus of national and international agencies, and university programs in development studies, the 'development industry' generated a vast body of literature seeking to account for or promote social, economic, and political change. This course aims to familiarize students with some of the key theoretical approaches and debates in the field of development. Throughout the course, the concept of development itself is questioned and critiqued both theoretically and in terms of the challenges posed by development practice.