Development Geography

geography

obligatory courses

Classroom

The course deals with the subject, its scope and the most important research problems in development geography. It provides an overview of the most important issues raised in development geography today - social polarisation, underdevelopment, poverty, demographic, economic and social characteristics differentiating countries and regions, the impact of globalisation processes on development.

Development geography is a sub-discipline of geography whose popularity is growing every year. Interest in development geography in Anglo-Saxon circles stems from the colonial past and the involvement of former colonial metropolises in countries of the global South. Hence, the colonial past and the effects of colonialism on development constitute an important theme of development geography. The engagement of Western countries in the global South has had both positive and negative effects on development. Globalisation and changing relationships between countries of the global South and the developed world have made the divisions and arrangements in this world less clear. Development geography examines these relationships and explains the reasons for the enormous diversity of developing countries in terms of social, cultural, economic, political and environmental conditions. It also refers to a critical analysis of development aid in different periods, from the end of the Second World War to the present.

Students should allocate 20 hours to achieve the learning outcomes.

- Czerny M. 2012 (red.). Bieda i bogactwo we współczesnym świecie. Studia z geografii rozwoju. WUW, Warszawa.

- Czerny M. 2005. Globalizacja a rozwój. PWN, Warszawa.

- Potter R. B., Binns T., Elliott J.A., Smith D. 2008. Geographies of Development. An introduction to development studies. Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Directional effects: K_W01, K_W05, K_U01, K_U07, K_K05

The course will allow to gain knowledge about global development issues and the mechanisms that differentiate countries in the global South in terms of their level of development. The course provides the opportunity to acquire practical skills in evaluating the effectiveness of development policies and the changing priorities of development assistance over a period of last 50 years. The subject matter of the course will also allow to broaden knowledge on local conditions of development and the role of diversity (cultural, political, social) in shaping global-local relations.

Written examination

No