Forward College
Poverty and Development
This course focusses on explaining the nature of economic and human development in the developing world, and why some countries and regions have become developed while others have not.
The course aims to:
- Provide students with a greater understanding of the forces which have shaped development both historically and in the contemporary world
- Develop a good understanding of regional differences in development and their origins across the world and within countries
- Critically explore questions of causality as regards the origins and effects of development around the world
At the end of the course and having completed the essential reading and activities students should be able to:
- Summarise and explain the various meanings of development and poverty
- Demonstrate a good understanding of the diversity of development experiences across various parts of the developing world (Africa, Asia and Latin America) as well as within each region
- Explain the history of development and poverty reduction, both as regards the development experiences of now-developed countries as well as the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial histories of the developing world
- Discuss the various proposed causes and effects of development and their causal relationships with development, including health, inequality, conflict and demographic change
- Demonstrate knowledge of the politics of development, both as how development can affect democratisation and how democratisation can affect development and poverty reduction
