The state of development studies: origins, evolution and prospects

Abstract

In reviewing the evolution of development studies, this article identifies three distinct traditions in teaching and research on development studies: international, national and global. Scholars and practitioners also make critical choices regarding focus, scale and expertise. The nature of explanation has shifted from understanding historical change, to assessing policy interventions at a demonstrable level of causality. The field is dividing into parallel dialogues that view development as national (domestic well-being), global (cross-border interdependencies), or foreign (poverty hotspots abroad). Development studies needs to bridge these dialogues, by encouraging the use of mesolevel data (between the nation-state and households), adopting greater geographic precision and offering thick explanations of social change.