Politics of Global Development

Academics and practitioners have paid increasing attention to the role that politics plays in development. The course provides students with an introduction to this exciting turn in development theory and practice. By the end of the course, students will have an understanding of global development, as well as the fundamentals of politics and political economy. The module is divided into three parts:

1. The first looks at the politics of developing countries, and includes sessions on institutions, leaders and coalitions, bureaucracy and civil society, and contestation and conflict.
2. The second part considers global processes, and includes sessions on trade, aid, finance and investment, migration, and global governance.
3. The final part considers development organisations, and will look at how donors and NGOs operate and the challenges they face.

The module will emphasise the links between theory and practice, using case-based learning from our own research (www.dlprog.org). Students will also have the opportunity to meet and discuss the links with guest speakers that work for various development organisations – we have existing working relationships with DFID (Department for International Development), ODI (Overseas Development Institute) and Oxfam.

Course leader

Dr Adam Harris

Target group

This is a level one module (equivalent to first year undergraduate). No prior subject knowledge is required for this module, but students are expected to have a keen interest in the area.

Course aim

Upon successful completion of this module, students will:

Understand the centrality of politics for international development, poverty and inequality; how political factors and processes – such as formal and informal institutions, leadership, government and non-government actors, and interests and ideas – shape and are shaped by the process of development
Have had hands-on experience of using the political economy analysis tools used by donors and NGOs to design a development intervention, and have engaged with a range of policy-makers and practitioners working in international development
Have an understanding of the international political economy of development, and how relations between richer and poorer nations – and the rules that govern these relations – shape and are shaped by development processes
Be introduced to different development organisations, such as donors and NGOs, how these organisations engage with politics in developing countries, and of criticisms of these organisations.
Be introduced to different types of research on the politics of global development, and have an understanding of the link between theory and practice in international development.