The field of world development studies looks at the comprehensive transformations that have been brought to human societies across the globe by the spread of the industrial revolution. Approximately one-third of the world's population enjoys a higher material standard of living due to industrialization, whereas two-thirds are in relative poverty. The likelihood, means, and consequences of closing this gap provide the central foci of world development studies. Since this social transformation affects all aspects of human existence, all of the social science disciplines devote important efforts to understanding it.
Issues Central to World Development Studies
- How did the world distribution of income and wealth become so unequal and will or must it stay that way?
- Can economic development occur in a non-Western way?
- What is the role of grassroots organizations and movements in social change?
- In development strategy, how much market and how much planning?
- How does the development process impact women differently than men?
- Are industrialization and environmental health compatible?
- Is economic development necessarily associated with democracy?
- What does global change do to existing cultures and psyches?