Prof Stuart Gordon

This course is available on the MSc in Development Management (Political Economy), MSc in Development Management (Political Economy) (LSE and Sciences Po), MSc in Development Studies and MSc in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process. For information on controlled access courses, including eligibility, application processes, deadlines, and departmental contact details, please refer to the Controlled Access Courses webpage.

IDHE students will have guaranteed places on this course. This course is also available to students from other ID programmes subject to places being available.  

Mutually exclusive courses:

This course cannot be taken with DV467 at any time on the same degree programme.

Indicative Content:

Week 1:            Famine Theory 1:  The Evolution of Contemporary famine theory from Malthus to Sen

Week 2:            Famine Theory 2: The evolution of contemporary famine theory from Keen and De Waal to Howe and Devereaux

Week 3:            Declaring Famine: The Politics of Early Warning and Early Action

Week 4:            Famine case study Somalia: Evidence for a declaration?

Week 5:            Famine indicators Workshop

Week 7:            Famine, resilience and household coping strategies

Week 8:            Livelihoods and protection

Week 9:            Famines in colonial India Famine Case Study: the 1943 Bengal Famine: FAD, entitlements and Empire

Week 10:          Famine Case Study: the 2005 Niger Famine: A famine that never was?

Week 11:            Madagascan famine and climate change

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.

The course will be taught in WT using weekly 90 minute lectures plus weekly 90 minute seminars. 

Exam (55%), duration: 120 Minutes, reading time: 5 minutes in the Spring exam period.

Portfolio (45%, 5000 words) in Winter Term Week 11.