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MSFS-512 Development Orthodoxies
Spring only
‘International Development’ as a field of academic inquiry and field operations is both relatively recent and constantly changing. Successive theories have been promoted vigorously, and then discredited as incomplete, ineffective or even pernicious. The ‘best practices’ associated with each of these theories have been first widely publicized and then gradually abandoned as outdated and flawed.
This course will examine the most significant theories (or ‘orthodoxies’) of international development over the last 50 years. These include classical development theories (such as Rostowian ‘take-off’ and modernization theories), critiques from the left (such as dependency theory), human capital and basic human needs approaches, neoclassical theories (such as the Washington Consensus) and more recent theories of social capital and institutional reform.
For each of these orthodoxies, the course will explore how development theory has shaped development practice. It will systematically focus on four distinct aspects or questions:
• key dimensions or definitions of development (that is, ‘what is development?’);
• theories of social change underlying these definitions (that is, ‘what drives development?’);
• critical assumptions of these theories (that is, ‘what are the limitations of this perspective of development?’);
• practical implications of these theories, including the bureaucratic structures, professional vocabularies, programmatic approaches, operational tools and instruments to manage international development (that is, ‘how can we shape and manage development?’).
Students will be expected to participate actively in class seminars, contributing one Issues Paper to guide seminar discussions during the term. Additional written assignments (including a country development assessment paper and take-home examine) will also be required.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course syllabi
The following syllabi may help you learn more about this course (login required):
Spring '10:
Morfit M
(file download)
Additional syllabi may be available in prior academic years.
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