DV468 Half Unit
Development: History, Theory and Policy
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Prof David Lewis
Prof James Putzel
Prof Kate Meagher
Availability
This course is compulsory on the MSc in Anthropology and Development, MSc in Development Studies and MSc in Political Economy of Late Development. This course is available on the MSc in Economic Policy for International Development. This course is freely available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. It does not require permission. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
How to apply: Places will be allocated with priority to ID and joint-degree students. If there are more ID and joint-degree students than can be accommodated, these places will be allocated randomly. Non-ID/Joint Degree students will be allocated to spare places by random selection with the preference given first to those degrees where the regulations permit this option.
Deadline for application: You should make your request to take ID courses by 12 noon Friday 26 September 2025.
You will be informed of the outcome by 12 noon Monday 29 September 2025.
Students do not need to write a statement to apply for this course.
Students will be allocated places to courses with priority to ID and joint-degree students. If there are more ID and joint-degree students than the course can accommodate, these spots will be allocated randomly.
Non-ID/Joint Degree students will be allocated to spare places by random selection with the preference given first to those degrees where the regulations and places permit.
Course content
The course integrates the concepts and perspectives of a range of disciplines to consider: major trends of development and change in modern history and interpretations of them in the social sciences and contemporary economic and social theory and their bearing on the policy and practice of development. The course critically discusses concepts of 'development' and the historical evolution of paradigms of development thinking and policy. With reference to comparative historical experience, we explore the role of states and markets in development and/underdevelopment, colonial legacies and path dependencies, and developmental states in comparative perspective. We examine the impact of pro-market reforms, globalisation and financialisation, as well as patterns of agricultural and industrial transformation and international trade in an era of global value chains and radical changes in development aid.
Teachers' comment
DV468 is the core course for a number of MSc programmes and thus brings together students from a wider variety of backgrounds than many other Masters courses. As a very demanding interdisciplinary course, which many students find particularly challenging, we believe student performance is impressive. We update and revise the reading list each year to ensure students have a strong foundation for future employment or research in development.
Teaching
15 hours of seminars and 20 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.
2 hours of help sessions in the Winter break.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.
There will be a revision session in the final week of WT.
Formative assessment
Essay (2000 words)
One 2,000 word essay with written feedback submitted in Autumn Term and at least one seminar presentation on literature.
Indicative reading
HJ Chang, Kicking Away the Ladder: Development Strategy in Historical Perspective(Anthem, 2002).
HJ Chang, Economics: The User's Guide (Penguin, 2014)
J Ferguson, The Anti-Politics Machine: 'Development', Depoliticisation and Bureaucratic Power in Lesotho (Cambridge, 1990).
K Gardner and D Lewis, Anthropology and Development: Challenges for the Twenty-First Century (Pluto, 2015)
M Jerven, Poor Numbers: How we are misled about African development statistics and what to do about it (Cornell, 2013).
A Kohli, State-Directed Development: Political Power and Industrialization in the Global Periphery (Cambridge, 2004).
T. Mkandawire, Social Policy in a Development Context (Palgrave 2004).
D Rodrik, One Economics, Many Recipes: Globalization, Institutions, and Economic Growth (Princeton University Press, 2008)
A Sen, Development as Freedom (Anchor, 1999).
United Nations, “Transforming Our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (SDGs) A/RES/70/1 (25 September 2015).
Assessment
Exam (80%), duration: 120 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Essay (20%, 2000 words)
Exam (80%, duration: 2 hours) in the spring exam period.
Essay (20%, 2000 words) submitted by the first day of WT.
Key facts
Department: International Development
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: Unavailable
Average class size 2024/25: Unavailable
Controlled access 2024/25: NoCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.