Meets the following requirements: HS   

Development might be loosely defined as the process of transformation of "developing" societies or economies into those that are "developed."  But it is a highly contested concept, with the most radical critiques calling for a complete rejection of the "development project."  So what is so controversial about development and what are the alternatives that critical voices have put forward?  In this course we attempt to answer these questions through an exploration of the intellectual and theoretical history of the concept.  We begin by examining neo-classical economic, social, and Marxist/neo-Marxist theories of development.  Most of the term will be spent reading critiques of these traditional theories, by scholars writing from post-structural, post-colonial, feminist, critical modernist and political ecological perspectives.  We will also critically examine alternative prescriptive theories of societal transformation put forward by these various schools of thought.  The main texts used in this course may include Mortgaging the Earth by Bruce Rich, Theories of Development by Richard Peet and Elaine Hartwick, and Liberation Ecologies edited by Richard Peet and Michael Watts.  We will also read a significant amount of primary literature in our exploration of different theoretical schools.  The class will be discussion-based, with much of our work done seminar style by students presenting course material.  Assessment will based on student participation in in-class discussions, seminar presentations, and several papers. 

Level:  Intermediate/Advanced.  Prerequisites:  coursework in social or political theory or permission of instructor.  Course fee:  $20.  *HS*