Critical Development Theories and Approaches

This course provides an introductory overview of Critical Development Studies (CDS), covering the main critical historical, philosophical and theoretical undercurrents that shape and inform the field of global development. In the first part of the course we delve into key philosophical concepts and major theoretical frameworks and trends of international development from the post-World War II era to the present. Students will explore the underlying assumptions and modalities of modernization theory, dependency and world-systems theory, post-colonial and post-development thought and the contemporary articulation of decoloniality by Latin American and African scholars. The latter part of the course delves into major trends, approaches, and best practices of CDS. This course is designed to be a theory-intensive reading course, appropriate for students interested in the theoretical debates and the ethico-political tensions that continue to shape and inform the field and practice of global development.