Development theory and practice
Dr Peter Marden
8 points
* 3 hours per week
* First semester
* Clayton
*
Prerequisites: A first-year sequence in geography, or permission of the head of
department
Objectives On the successful completion of this subject students should have gained an understanding of how ideas about development are implicated with numerous established social and political objectives that are culturally specific, and familiarity with competing theoretical approaches to development and global politics.
Synopsis This subject explores: changing definitions of the term `development'; the competing theories which seek to explain differences between rich and poor countries; and how these contrasting approaches produce distinctive policy outcomes. The first part of the subject examines the various conflicting interpretations of development on a global scale with a specific focus on liberal and Marxist accounts of uneven development. The second part of the subject looks at the dominant agents shaping development policy at three distinct but linked geographical scales: the global, national and local. The focus here is on the role of global institutions such as the World Bank, IMF and United Nations based organisations, and their influence on development policy. The dimensions of the global market are also covered, with emphasis placed on global production regimes and the international financial system, as well as the role of government within the developing world in establishing national development policies. The focus on practice then shifts to a detailed analysis of rural development in the light of issues concerning ecologically sustainable development. Particular attention is given to the problems of resource management and the role of agriculture in developing countries. The concluding section examines various contemporary challenges to established ideas about development theory and practice. Regional examples are drawn mainly from Africa and Latin America.
Assessment Written (4500 words): 60%
* Examinations (2 hours): 30%
* Tutorial participation: 10%
Prescribed texts
Hettne B Development theory and the three worlds Longman, 1990
Schuurman F (ed.) Beyond the impasse: New directions in development theory Zed Books, 1993
Recommended texts
Bartelmus P Environment, growth and development Routledge, 1994
Corbridge S (ed.) Development studies: A reader Edward Arnold, 1995
Fry G and Martin G The international development dictionary ABC-CLIO, 1991
George S Faith and credit Penguin, 1994
Hoogvelt A The Third World in global development Macmillan, 1982
Roxborough I Theories of underdevelopment Macmillan, 1979
Sachs W (ed.) The development dictionary Zed Books, 1992
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