The course is an examination of the Political Ecology of Development. We will look at the interdisciplinary field of Political Ecology, the study of ecological distribution conflicts and the ways in which power affects access over resources as well as opportunities for human-centred development. Drawing from a range of approaches in Political Ecology—particularly, ecological economics, post-structuralism and neo-Marxism—we will introduce and discuss key concepts and theoretical frameworks that underlie the contemporary critique of development and growth. We will then explore these issues through analysing empirical case studies of struggles around development and natural resource extraction in different parts of the world. We will discuss also current literature about the compatibility of growth-based development with environmental sustainability, and introduce debates about post-development and alternatives to economic growth.

⬇️  Download the Reading List (pdf)