Socio-economic indicators

 -Indicators of development:

A. Economic indicators

• Gross National Product/Income per capita: A measure of a country's total income adjusted for population and reflecting the average income per person
• Gross Domestic Product per capita(GDP): Measures the total value of goods and services produced within a country's borders, adjusted for population, providing an overview of economic output. 
• Economic Growth: The rate at which a country's economy expands, often measured by GDP or GNI, indicating the overall growth of an economy. 
• Income Inequality: The disparity in income distribution within a country, indicating how evenly wealth is shared.

B. Social indicators

•  Human development - A composite index that measures a country's progress in health, education, and living standards, providing a comprehensive view of development(HDI)
• Life expectancy at birth -reflects health conditions and access to healthcare; daily food calorie supply per capita.
• Literacy rate
• Gender roles and gender inequality- profile activity for women, men,  girls, and boys. The Gender Inequality Index (GII) 
• Human deprivation - refugees and asylum seekers, illiterate adults, water shortage, malnutrition, and child mortality under five years of age.
• Rural-urban gaps
• Health profile - maternal mortality, population per doctor or qualified nurse.
• Profile of human distress
• Unemployment

What is Development?

 What is development? (Details in the Lectures)

-No single definition:

·       To progress, to evolve, to unfold,  to improve, to advance from simple to more complex

- Development Studies is a dynamic field concerned with processes of social, economic, political, and cultural change in the global South. (University of Melbourne’s School of Social and Political Sciences)

Key Theorists in Development

 Seers (1972):

•  Focused on the need to reduce poverty and social inequality and improve employment opportunities.

Nyerere (1973):

•  “Development of the people, by the people, for the people” (people-centered development).
• People can only develop themselves and others through understanding their needs, knowing how to meet them, and having the freedom to make choices.

Rodney (1976):

Development has two levels:

·       Individual: Growth in skills, capacity, freedom, creativity, discipline, responsibility, and material well-being

·       Social Group: Increased ability to manage internal and external relations.

 

Chambers (1997):

• Development as ‘good change’

 Todaro (1994):

• Defined development as a multidimensional process of significant changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and institutions.
• Emphasized that development should aim for a better material and spiritual quality of life.

 Shaffer (1989):

• Development is the improvement of institutions and quality of life.
• Wealth creation involves values beyond just financial wealth.

COURSE OUTLINE - CDM 108

Get the course outline below.

Download HERE

Welcome to the Course!

 Welcome to the Development Studies course, 2025! I am delighted to have you on board this semester and looking forward to embarking on this journey together.

Development Studies is a dynamic and interdisciplinary field that explores the complexities of global development, inequality, policy, and change. Throughout the semester, we’ll delve into critical issues such as poverty, sustainability, human rights, governance, and economic growth, drawing from both global and local perspectives.

This course is designed not only to build your academic understanding but also to encourage critical thinking, debate, and reflection. Whether you're pursuing a career in development, policy-making, research, or legal practice or simply have a passion for creating positive change, I hope this course will inspire and equip you with the tools to make a meaningful impact.

Course Instructor