International Development and Social Change
Graduate Program
The Master of Arts degree in International Development and Social Change
(IDSC) emphasizes the connection between critical thinking and effective
action. It is designed for scholars of international development, as
well as for present and future practitioners of grassroots,
community-based development.
Offering alternatives to centralized planning and implementation, the
IDSC/MA program has been a pioneer in participatory development and a
leading force in creating tools for social change. The challenge for the
21st-century is to promote just and equitable development and sustain
environmental resources through critical thought, local planning and
action. The IDCE Department and the IDSC Program stress participatory
approaches that foster alliances and partnerships between local
institutions and broader entities such as external development agencies,
universities, and state and non-governmental organizations.
This master’s program helps students conceptualize innovative approaches
to development problems by building an understanding of the complex
causes, influences and implications of poverty, social injustice and
conflict. Rooted in the belief that effective approaches merge many
disciplines, the IDSC/MA employs a cross-disciplinary focus, with
faculty from anthropology, economics, environmental sciences, women's
studies, geography, history, government, and management. Links with
collaborating institutions in countries such as Kenya, Nepal, Ghana,
India, Senegal, and Mexico provide important real-world perspectives and
field work opportunities.
The IDSC/MA Program has three key elements:
1. Challenging conventional ideas about development and seeking
innovative alternatives,
2. Understanding how the interplay of power relationships gives rise to
social injustice and inequity, and
3. Exploring the linkages between critical thinking and effective
development practices at the community, regional, national, and global
levels.
Visit www.clarku.edu/departments/idce/academicsGradID.cfm
on the IDCE Web site for more information about the IDSC program.
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