LFU:online

Understanding of questions relating to the philosophy of science through reading and discussing suitable classical or innovative texts of historiography resp., knowledge of developments in research and criticism of paradigms. 

What is "development", how can societies "develop", is "development" achievable for all - or even desirable? We approach these questions by reading selected classical texts and current works on the history of development theories and politics. We will examine different schools of development theory (including modernisation theory, world systems theory, dependency theory, post-development, de-growth) and discuss the relationship of development to colonialism, gender, the Cold War as well as various critiques of the development paradigm.

Course with continuous performance assessment: attendance at all sessions, readings are to be prepared in advance for class discussion, short written assignments.

Positive assessment of compulsory module 1.