Poverty, Development, and the Environment

(2-3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Poverty and inequality are global pressing social challenges. The module consists of two parts with the first part of the module presenting some relevant theories on poverty, inequality, and development. This is necessary to present a framework within which to critically discuss and consider these concepts. With the theoretical frameworks set the module will continue to consider the role of the state in development followed by a specific glance at poverty and inequality in post-apartheid South Africa. The second part of the module considers the impact of the different approaches to development (thus dealing with poverty and inequality) on the natural environment. Questions we hope to delve into in this module include: What is poverty and how does it manifest? Why is inequality deepening? What is the role of development thought on the ecology, and do we need to rethink our development approaches?