Global Development

Global development: definition

First, let us provide a global development definition:

Fig. 1 - Global development studies a country's progress using various levels of measurement.

What does global development in sociology study?

As a field of study, global development in sociology is a critical look at how development has unfolded across the world throughout the 20^th century and the conditions that affect global development trajectories today.

It can help answer questions such as:

• How can there be so much wealth and at the same time so much poverty and needless suffering?

• How is it that countries like China, the UAE, South Korea, and Singapore have been able to rapidly develop over the 20th century, whilst most of sub-Saharan Africa remains some of the poorest countries in the world?

• How and what has the world done to increase levels of development and help the neediest nations and populations? Is it even possible for us to manage, control and affect the myriad of global issues we face today?

From a humanitarian point of view, understanding questions like these are vital for our everyday life. The more interconnected our world becomes, the more we should ask ourselves why there is such vast inequality, depending on where one is born.

Now we know what global development entails as a field of study, we will go through the key points of each topic we will be learning about in Global Development. You will find detailed, separate articles on each subtopic on StudySmarter.

Here’s an overview of what you can expect:

Understanding global development: sustainable development global goals and beyond

Understanding global development, including how sustainable development global goals work isn't so straightforward. There are many competing definitions, measurements and ways of theorising just what development should mean and why global inequalities persist. Therefore, in this section we will look into two areas:

1. Development: meaning, measurements, indicators & classifications

• An explanation of why development is hard to define.

• A description and critical analysis of the different ways development is measured, and the indicators used for a given measurement.

• How countries and global regions have been classified in terms of ‘development stages’ and the reasons why some of the terminologies are problematic or outdated.

2. Theories of development & global inequalities

• A deep dive into the main theoretical paradigms that have affected global development strategies. Specifically, an analysis of Modernisation Theory and Neoliberalism

• An analysis of the major ‘critical’ development theories. Specifically, we will look at Dependency Theory and World Systems Theory

• Through the lenses of both the above theoretical branches, we will link these to how they explain the levels of global inequalities present between countries.

• A brief introduction to post-development and environmental theories as a response to, and movement beyond, the paradigm that the above theories exist within. i.e. is economic development and 'growth' really the way to track human progress?

Globalisation and global development

Unsurprisingly, globalisation has been one of the primary, if not the primary, driving force behind modern global development.

In 'Globalisation in Sociology' and 'Global Organisations', we will be looking at:

• The four main factors that have contributed to globalisation - the emergence of technology, political transformations, economic developments, and cultural factors

• The different types of globalisation - economic, cultural, and political globalisation - and how they have changed relationships between and within societies

• The three schools of thought on globalisation - the positivists, the negativists, and the transformationalists

• The advantages brought forth by globalisation, including economic growth, a wide range of opportunities, and increased international respect and understanding

• The drawbacks of globalisation, such as worsening global inequalities in less developed nations and the erosion of local cultures

Economics and global sustainable development: global organisations

How is economics linked with global sustainable development?

Within this topic, we will critically look at:

• The role of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) in global development strategies.

  1. How Neoliberal and Dependency theories evaluate the role of TNCs

• The role of International Non-governmental Organisations (INGOs) in global development strategies.

• The impact different International Organisations (IGOs) have had on global development.

  1. In particular, a look at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank and their Structural Adjustment Programme (SAPs).

Fig. 2 - We will study the role of international organisations, such as the UN, in development.

Global development: the developing world

Here, we will look at how development relates to the factors:

1. Aid

   Aid is a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another.

2. Global Trade

   Trade refers to the exchange (importing and exporting) of goods and services between countries.

3. Industrialisation

   Industrialisation is a historical process of social and economic change whereby a country's economy comes to be based primarily on the manufacturing of goods.

4. Urbanisation

   This refers to an increasing shift in the number of people living in urban areas and a decrease in those living in rural areas.

5. The environment

   The Oxford Dictionary defines environment as "the natural world, as a whole or in a particular geographical area, especially as affected by human activity".

6. War and conflict

   Conflict is a disagreement between two parties where at least one considers the other a threat. On the other hand, war is where conflict is widespread, intentional, and declared.

Again, all these concepts are critically evaluated through different theoretical perspectives. Primarily, Modernisation Theory / Neoliberalism vs. Dependency Theory.

Aspects of global development

We will be doing a deep dive into the following aspects of development:

1. Employment

2. Education

3. Health

4. Demographic change

5. Gender

Specifically, we will describe the state of these phenomena in the world, the factors that influence them, and finally, theoretical perspectives on their role in development.

A centre for global development?

Should you take this as the centre point for your global development studies?

Whilst this module is by no means an exhaustive resource bank, particularly if you are currently reading this now in university, I would still highly recommend you glance at each article. In many ways, this is the foundational core, or centre, for understanding global development.

If you are currently revising for your A-levels, then you’ll find this specifically tailored to your specification. At the very least, the list of examples provided will be highly useful and topical.

Happy reading!