The aim of development is to improve quality of life in a world characterized by unprecedented opulence but also by widespread deprivation, destitution and poverty. But development is about more than higher incomes – it is a multidimensional process of change in social structures, the reduction of inequality, the eradication of poverty, and the expansion of the range of economic and social choices.
The academic subject of Development Studies focuses on processes of social, political and economic change taking place primarily – although not exclusively in developing countries. Teaching and research on development is multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary, bringing together academic expertise in politics, economics, agriculture, political economy and other areas, while also drawing on the broader strengths of the School of Politics and International Relations. |