International development

Social Justice and Development

Module code: L2107N
Level 5
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Coursework, Essay

What kind of world do we want? What kind of world has been shaped through development? On this module, you'll examine development beyond economic growth, focusing on its cultural, social and political dimensions through a lens of social justice. You'll study:

• how development practices are entangled with Western ideals of progress, rationality and individualism
• how these frameworks intersect with social differences like class, gender, race, disability and sexuality
• the historical impacts of development on communities
• alternative visions for the future beyond traditional development models.

You'll also explore questions of power, politics and coloniality, examining what happens when different interests and commitments collide.

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate an awareness of different theoretical approaches to social justice and development.
• Summarise the basic debates over the relationship between development, modernisation and social and cultural change.
• Apply theoretical insights to the evaluation of the relative strengths and weaknesses of different forms of development policy and intervention.
• Apply a critical perspective to accounts of development intervention and social change