CSS Forums - Development studies

[B][FONT='Times New Roman']Development studies[/FONT][/B]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman][B]Development studies[/B] is the multi-disciplinary branch of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_science"][COLOR=windowtext]social science[/COLOR][/URL] which addresses issues of concern to [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developing_nations"][COLOR=windowtext]developing nations[/COLOR][/URL].[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The emergence of development studies as an academic discipline in the second half of the twentieth century is in large part due to increasing concern about economic prospects for the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_world"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]third world[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] after [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonisation"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]decolonisation[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]. While it originally emerged as a branch of [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]economics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_economics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]development economics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], it has become an increasingly inter- and multi-disciplinary subject, encompassing [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]politics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]history[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman_studies"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]woman studies[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]sociology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anthropology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]social anthropology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_relations"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]international relations[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman].[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Development studies is offered as a specialised Master's degree in a number of universities, and, less commonly, as an undergraduate degree.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Students of development studies often choose careers in international organisations such as [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]United Nations[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-governmental_organisations"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]non-governmental organisations[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Bank"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]World Bank[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman], and research centres.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]The era of modern development is commonly deemed to have commenced with the inauguration speech of Harry S. Truman in 1949. In Point Four of his speech, with reference to Latin America and other poor nations, he said that "for the first time in history, humanity possess[ed] the knowledge and skill to relieve the suffering of these people.".[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_studies#_note-0#_note-0"][COLOR=windowtext][1][/COLOR][/URL] But for the purposes of development studies, also the former development experiences of western countries are of high relevancy.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Despite the orthodox view of Development as relating to the process of increasing the relative and absolute wealth of LDCs, usually through notions of increased output of either industrial or agricultural goods, many academics, e.g. Gilbert Rist and Stefan Andreasson, dispute that Development has any meaning within this context. They contend that Development of LDCs to the wealth levels of the richer OECD nations, using extractive production and trading processes similar to those of OECD nations, is untenable because of the ecological and environmental damage which would ensue.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_studies#_note-1#_note-1"][COLOR=windowtext][2][/COLOR][/URL] The argument for a completely new paradigm of Development has validity for many observers and academics.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[B][FONT=Times New Roman]N.B. Exceptions:[/FONT][/B]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Not all institutions recognize these fields as social sciences:[/FONT][/SIZE][LIST][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication_studies"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Communication[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_studies"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]cultural studies[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]history[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] may be classified as [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanities"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]humanities[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] depending on how they are taught, and in which country they are taught. [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Psychology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] is a very broad science that is rarely tackled as a whole, major block. Although some subfields encompass a natural science base and a social science application, others can be clearly distinguished as having little to do with the social sciences or having a lot to do with the social sciences. For example, biological psychology is considered a natural science with a social scientific application (as is clinical [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]medicine[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]), social and occupational psychology are, generally speaking, purely social sciences, whereas neuropsychology is a natural science that lacks application out of the scientific tradition entirely. In British universities, emphasis on what tenet of psychology a student has studied and/or concentrated is communicated through the degree conferred: B.Psy. indicates a balance between natural and social sciences, B.Sc. indicates a strong (or entire) scientific concentration, whereas a B.A. underlines a majority of social science credits. [/FONT][/SIZE][*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Some disciplines have characteristics of both the humanities, social and natural sciences: for example some subfields of [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]anthropology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], such as [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_anthropology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]biological anthropology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], are closely related to the natural sciences whereas [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]archaeology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]linguistics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] are social sciences. [/FONT][/SIZE][*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Some fields also are considered to be [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applied_science"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]applied sciences[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], such as [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]education[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]law[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]. [/FONT][/SIZE][*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Law is often considered not to be a science at all, and labelled as one of the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanities"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]humanities[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]. The main reason for this is that law is [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normative"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]normative[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] (see also [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_%28philosophy%29"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]norm (philosophy)[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]). Legal discourse is closer in some respects to [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]ethics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]politics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretation"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]interpretation[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] (see also [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretivism"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]interpretivism[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]). Law should not be confused with [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology_of_law"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]sociology of law[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] or [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]anthropology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] of law. [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] traverses the natural and social sciences: [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomorphology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]geomorphology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]historical geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] are often taught in a college in a unified Department of Geography. [/FONT][/SIZE][*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Some social sciences may converge with certain fields from the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_sciences"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]natural sciences[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], and become [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interdisciplinary"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]interdisciplinary[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]. Examples of such fields include [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociobiology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]sociobiology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] -- an interdisciplinary field drawing on [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]sociology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]biology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]. [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST]