Why are some countries poorer than others, and why do some countries develop faster than others? ‘Development’ is often equated with ‘industrialization’, ‘modernisation’ and other such large-scale social transformations. That conventional approach assumes that all societies advance through linear, evolutionary stages of ‘progress’ through the adoption of modernizing institutions and practices. In studying the historical experience of developing countries (in Africa, Latin America and Asia), this subject views development and social change through the lens of political, economic and cultural processes, recognizing that outcomes of ‘development’ often hinge on competing ideas, conflicting interests, and power asymmetries. Students will gain a historically grounded understanding of development and social change in a variety of institutional settings.
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