Course summary

Anthropology and development are tightly entwined: this programme brings together essential elements of both. It combines crucial anthropological insights into – and critiques of – economic globalisation and social transformation with the study of theories about development: both historical experiences and cutting-edge policy debates. This programme is offered by the Department of Anthropology with the assistance of the Department of International Development. The core Anthropology components of the programme offer you a comprehensive study of how anthropologists, from their unique vantage point, have understood globalisation and other economic transformations, as well as giving crucial insights into how they evaluate, criticise and contribute to development. Focusing on both 'Big D' development (schemes of improvement or projects) and 'little d' development (change which occurs as the result of economic growth or modernisation), the programme shows you how anthropologists have both changed practices from within as well as critiqued them from the outside. It also provides anthropological insights into new forms of production, consumption, exchange and financial circulation that have emerged since the 1980s. The core International Development component of the programme provides you with key insights into the processes involved in overcoming poverty and creating healthy, wealthy and sustainable social change. The programme uses the latest theory in the social sciences to understand the processes, policy and practice of development.