INTD 5006

This course is intended to serve as an initial step in undertaking research in development studies. Development cannot be studied without understanding how we construct knowledge about social phenomena. Therefore, development, in particular, and the social science, in general, are intrinsically connected to philosophy. While we have come across a wide variety of theories about development, it is imperative that we step back and analyze the philosophical and theoretical assumptions about knowledge that inform these theories. Similarly, research is not only about devising the correct methodologies, but also about uncovering the epistemology (ways of knowledge) behind the different methodologies. Once we have a sense of these assumptions, it becomes easier to choose our own frameworks and methodologies in studying development, whether in the archives, or in the field.