Department of Geography

A geographical understanding of the global political economy requires a thorough comprehension

of the way policies and discourses of economic development have affected and are affecting societies and environments at

various scales (local, national, regional, global) within and between rich and poor countries. Critical awareness of

development processes must also incorporate localized understandings of people-environment interactions, posing

'development' as a contested, social, and ecological process rather than an objective economic strategy. The course is

organized in three sections, with the first section dealing with general theoretical issues, the second with more detailed

theories (of rural development, for example) and the final section with case studies. It fits with the mission of the

University of the West Indies in providing a forum for the development of oral and written knowledge skills and in its focus

on alternative approaches to economic and sustainable development. The course also fits well with the goals of the

Department of Geography as it develops perspectives on human-environment relations, particularly challenges and

opportunities for Small Island Developing (SIDs) countries.