‘Development’ can be broadly defined as the process through which the living conditions of human-beings are improved in socio-political and socio-economic terms. Development economics focuses on economic dimensions of development. However, economic dimensions are inseparable from the political and social ones, as it will be clear throughout this course. Adopting such a political-economy perspective, the objective of this course is to teach the basic concepts and major theories of economic development, with an eye to the historical evolution of development economics.