Product Description

The Companion to Development Studies is an essential one-stop reference for anyone with an interest in development studies. Over 100 international experts have been brought together to present a comprehensive overview of the key theoretical and practical issues dominating contemporary development studies.



Building on the success of the first edition, the second edition of the Companion has been thoroughly revised and updated and includes new chapters on a range of topics, including ageing, culture and development, corruption and development and global terrorism. Each chapter summarises current debates and provides guidance for further reading and research.
The Companion to Development Studies is indispensable for students of development studies at all levels, from undergraduate to postgraduate and beyond, in departments of development studies, geography, politics, international relations, sociology, social anthropology and economics.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #97077 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 592 pages

About the Author
Vandana Desai, Senior Lecturer in Development Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Robert B. Potter, Professor of Human Geography and Head of the School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading.

Customer Reviews

Essential background reading in development studies
The 'Companion to Development Studies' is a very good resource for students who need to get a short and detailed overview of a particular area of development studies. The chapters provide an overview of key authors, key points in the debate and contentious issues. The topics dealt with in the chapters are very up-to-date and written by experts in the field. Highly recommended for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Unhappy in Midterm season
Hi just wanted to let you know that this book is okay in some parts but most of the author's write in such a convoluted way that it gives you a migrane just trying to understantd the meaning behind thier points. The index is EXTREMELY unhelpful as almost none of the abbrieviations are there and the key concepts are missing as well. This is extremely difficult when trying to use this book to study. Also isn't it a little presumptuous to call it "THE Companion to Developmental Studies" because, for me, this book is lacking.

The difficulty with development studies
One of the problems with the idea of and studies on development is that because it is hostage to various ideologies and philosophies, since WWII it has become a vast and unwieldy subject. The value in this book is that each piece of it contains a valuable microcosm of writing on a wide range of topics included under the umbrella of development, by some of the best writers in each area, which go on to provide further reading sources if you wish to expand your knowledge. The clear way in which it is set out and the expertise of the writers helps to clarify what can be a confusing jungle of ideas and models - I wish it had been around when I was an undergraduate!