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Reconstructions is a book about international development and several of its conceptual, theoretical, and some of its practical and behavioural facets. It is an exploratory introduction to the subject for tertiary students and an advanced general readership. It is a book of 'field theory.' This term is derived from two meanings. The first is 'fieldwork' and its associations with the attempt to provide a structure where one did not previously exist; and secondly, to draw on experience that is gained from information derived from practical settings and established knowledge. Hence, the theory developed in the book has bearings from real-world referents, secondary though those sometimes might be. Through different lenses – macro, conceptual, abstract, political, scientific and behavioural – Reconstructions: An Introduction to International Development Studies explores concepts that inform both the foreground (by identifying issues and concerns) and background (by explaining theory and concepts) of international development work. Reconstructions is also partially a book about alternative development, in as much as it critiques certain aspects of conventional development theory and advocates a people-centred, sustainable development. Models of International Development might change, and need to do so to respond to different political, social, generational, androgogical and environmental differences. A constant human factor is the relationship of people to their environment and the desire to improve it in social, economic and resource-conscious ways. Hence, the basis of Reconstructions: An Introduction to International Development Studies concerns the relation of people to the environment from a developmental perspective

ABSTRACTThis article acts as the Introduction to the Debate that follows. It contends that the so‐called impasse in development has been a constant feature of the field and is an indicator of its self‐critical outlook rather than any deep‐seated existential crisis. It unpacks the various dimensions of ongoing debate regarding the future of development studies, probing its policy relevance and legitimacy, interdisciplinarity, geographic focus and relationship with post‐structuralist and Marxist thought. In order to revive and reorient the field in line with the contemporary world, the article proposes to return to an explicit Marxist/Marxian political economy framework to analyse the dynamics of capitalism in its local, national and global dimensions. Such a move would entail turning away from the increasingly dominant approach of critique for the sake of critique. Instead, the article argues that development studies can only fulfil its mission if scholars keep the goal of emancipatory development and change in mind when they engage with contemporary capitalist processes.

"Around the world lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer individuals are subjected to violence and intimidation based on their real or perceived sexuality, gender identity or expression. With those most at risk of human rights violations often living in areas of low economic development, questions of sexuality, gender identity, and expression have become a significant area of research within the field of development studies. The Routledge Handbook of Queer Development Studies is the first full length study of queer development studies, collecting the very best in research from around the world. Topics for discussion include:Queering policy and planning in developmentQueer development critique and queer critiques of developmentGlobal LGBTIQ rightsQueer social movements and mobilizationsAt a time when development and human rights organizations such as the World Bank, Office of the UN Secretary General and Human Rights Watch are placing increasing importance on global LGBT rights, the Routledge Handbook of Queer Development Studies is an essential guide for scholars, upper level students, practitioners and anyone with an interest in global sexualities, gender identities, and expressions."--Provided by publisher