GDEV 1102

Introduction to Global Development

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2024-2025. Courses of Study 2024-2025 is scheduled to publish mid-June.

This course introduces students to the history of the idea of Development and to key definitions, theories, measures and debates in the study and practice of Global Development. We draw upon a variety of disciplines to address some of the "big questions" of this field: What is Development? How do we measure Development? Why are some countries (and people) poorer than others? Who are the key actors in the field of Global Development and how have they changed over time? What are some promising Development interventions? How should we think about our own role in Development?

When Offered Fall.

Distribution Category (D-AG, SBA-AG)
Course Attribute (CU-SBY)

• Define constructs including "Development", "poverty", "inequality", "inequity", and "justice."
• Analyze the role of colonialism in shaping power relationships between "developing and "developed" countries and how these historical relationships shape the Development paradigm.
• Identify a range of indicators used to measure Development (i.e., GDP, HDI, Happiness, etc.) and identify their assumptions and limitations.
• Describe the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) project and targets.
• Examine some current datasets on Development (i.e., World Development Indicators, etc.)
• Compare the basic assumptions, arguments, and perspectives of Modernization Theory, Dependency Theory, World Systems Theory, and Neoliberalism.
• Map the range of actors that participate in the Development project (the state, the market, civil society, etc.) and the different roles they have played over time.
• Explain how a variety of fields have approached Development projects, and what factors they tend to emphasize (i.e., sociology, economics, political science, demography, natural/physical sciences).
• Describe how Development projects are monitored and evaluated (i.e., how do we know "what worked") and the possibility of unintended consequences.
• Critically evaluate the ethics of "Development interventions," at home and abroad, and who gets to set the agenda and participate in these activities.

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