This seminar examines some of the major theories, paradigms, perspectives, concepts and policies that, over the past 60 years, have attempted to explain, predict or otherwise effect change in the global South (post-colonial countries), including modernization and dependency theory, neoliberalism, human development, post-development, and feminist contributions to development. The course also surveys some contemporary perspectives on the discourse and practice of development, such as participatory development, the “good governance” agenda, and the “institutional turn.” We shall seek to answer the following key questions this semester: What is development? How have our ideas about development, its causes, and its objectives changed over time? Why, after 60 years of development, are so many people still suffering from poverty, economic decline, ill health, political insecurity, repression, and powerlessness? Where should we focus our development efforts in the future?
ravindran.sriramachandran@ashoka.edu.in