Course Description

The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to basic concepts, facts, arguments, and causal theories about development. Development Studies (also known as ‘international development studies’ or ‘international development’) is a multi- and inter-disciplinary field of study rather than a single discipline. It seeks to understand the interplay between social, economic, political, technological, ecological, cultural and gendered aspects of societal change at the local, national, regional and global levels. This course provides an in-depth introduction to the multi-disciplinary field of development studies. It introduces students to key debates in development theory, to the history of development policy and practice, and to the range of multilateral, bilateral and NGO organizations that are currently engaged in the development enterprise. This course also looks at the main sectors in which development organizations engage, including: governance and security, health, education, environmental and natural resource management, urbanization and gender development and legal reform.

Course Objectives

After completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Describe development as a common good
2. Comprehend the importance of individual in development
3. Explain the concept of Urbanization
4. Distinguish the developments around the globe
5. Learn development capability and freedom
6. Comprehend the nature and causes of poverty and gender and development.

Course Outline

1. Development, the human person and resources.
   1. Definition of development
   2. Development and its assets
   3. The dignity of  human person and development
2. Theories and strategies of development
   1. Introduction
   2. Classical-traditional approaches
   3. Modernization of theory
   4. The top down paradigm of development and western world view.
3. Globalisation, development and under development
   1. What is globalisation
   2. Strands of globalisation
   3. Globalisation and marginalisation
   4. Globalisation and unequal development
4. People in development process
   1. Population and resources
   2. Quality of life
      1.  Household development cycle, household pressure and gender Inequalities
      2. Children
      3. Culture, religion and development
      4. Health
      5. Education
      6. Human rights

1. Resources and Environment
   1. What is sustainable development
   2. Resources and development
   3. Ecosystem, water resources,
   4. Energy resources
   5. Soil erosion
   6. climate change
   7. biodiversity
2. Physical well-being and mental well-being.
   1. Conditions for physical well being
   2. Conditions for mental well being
   3. The nature and causes of poverty.
   4. Definitions of poverty
   5. Characteristics of poverty
   6. Its nature and causes, poverty in developing countries
   7. Strategies to combat poverty
3. Technology and the social effects of technological change.
   1. Technology in practice
   2. The impact of tools in the society
4. Socio-economic indicators of growth and development.
   1. Development and growth
   2. Ingredients for development and growth
   3. Socio-economic indicators from African Development Indicators
5. Colonialism
   1. What is colonialism
   2. Colonialism and imperialism
   3. Importance of colonialism
   4. Phases of colonialism
6. Urbanization and development.
   1. Models for development
   2. The urbanization and regional differences
   3. Rural urban migration and interaction
   4. Urban and regional planning
   5. Urban services and environment
   6.  Characteristics of migrants
7. Gender and development.
   1. Gender roles
   2. The socialization process
   3. Gender and its impact on development

Recommended Text:

1. Nakagawa, J. (2016). Managing Development Globalization, economic restructuring and social policy, New York: Routledge.

2. Daly, H. E., & John B. C., (2016). From Individualism to Person-in-Community. Chapter 8 in For the Common Good: Redirecting the Economy toward Community, the Environment and a Sustainable Future. Boston: Beacon Press

Suggested Readings:

1. Desai, V., & Potter, R. B. (2013). The companion to development studies, USA: Routledge.

2. Stathakis, G. and G. Vaggi (2015). Economic Development and Social Change Historical roots and modern perspectives. USA: Routledge.

3.  Sen, A., (2015). Poverty as Capability Deprivation‖. Chapter 4 in Development as Freedom. New York: Anchor Books.