SP411 Half Unit
Social Policy and Development
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Sunil Kumar
Availability
This course is compulsory on the MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Development). This course is available on the MSc in International Social and Public Policy, MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Education), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (LSE and Fudan), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Migration), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Non-Governmental Organisations) and MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Research). This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
All Social Policy Courses are ‘Controlled Access’. Please see the link below for further details on the allocation process.
https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/services/course-choice/controlled-access-courses
Course content
This course provides the conceptual tools needed to understand and critically evaluate the key challenges of social development. A wide range of development contexts will be discussed.
Key themes include, among others, the link between social policy and social development; theories of development and post-development; race and development; intersectionality, social policy and social development; policy actors, regulation and decentralisation, civil society, markets and social development; informality, conflict and social development. Some of these themes are treated as cross-cutting issues where appropriate.
Teaching
15 hours of seminars and 15 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.
All teaching will be in accordance with the LSE Academic Code which specifies a minimum of two hours taught contact time per week when the course is running in the Autumn Term (AT) and/or Winter Term (WT). Social Policy courses are predominantly taught through a combination of in-person lectures and In person classes/seminars. Further information will be provided by the Course Convenor in the first lecture of the course.
Indicative reading
- Santos, Boaventura de Sousa (2014) Epistemologies of the South: Justice Against Epistemicide. London and New York: Routledge.
- Mignolo, W. D. and Walsh, C. E. (2018) On De-Coloniality: Concepts, Analytics and Praxis. Durham: Duke University Press.
- Barrientos, A. and D. Hulme, eds. (2008) Social Protection for the Poor and the Poorest: Concepts, Policies and Politics. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Green, D. (2008) From Poverty To Power: How Active Citizens and Effective States Can Change The World. Oxford: Oxfam International.
- Willis, K. (2005) Theories and Practices of Development. London: Routledge.
- Dale, R (2004) Development Planning: Concepts and Tools for Planners, Managers and Facilitators, London: Zed Books.
- Hickey, S. and Mohan, G. (2004) Participation: From Tyranny to Transformation? Exploring New Approaches to Participation in Development. London: Zed Books.
- Thin, N. (2002) Social Progress and Sustainable Development. London: ITDG.
- Midgley, J. (1995) Social Development: The Developmental Perspective in Social Welfare. London: Sage.
Assessment
Exam (60%), duration: 180 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Course participation (10%)
Essay (30%) in Autumn Term Week 7
Students will be required to sit an in person exam in the Spring term (60%); submit an Essay in AT (30%) and also participate in class (10%).
Key facts
Department: Social Policy
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 64
Average class size 2024/25: 16
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.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Team working
- Communication