LPD301 | Law, Poverty & Development

Poverty and development are concepts that have normally been dealt within the disciplines of economics and politics. The role of law in economics and the economy, and consequently its role in development and poverty has been largely muted. However, with the resurgence of classical, neo-classical and liberal economic thought, this relationship between law and economic development is also increasingly emphasised. This course engages with this body of work and its main task is to understand economic development and consequently its effects on poverty from a legal theoretical point of view.

The course is multidisciplinary and uses the framework of the sociology of law. Therefore, it draws heavily on history, economics and other social sciences and understands law within society and the economy. While global developments are integral to the course, it also focusses on India’s developmental and economic trajectory. The modules are also arranged as such. They begin with conceptual understandings of ‘development’ and ‘poverty’ and move forward to understanding how global ideas of development have evolved, globally and in India. Finally, it works towards a critique of the dominant ideas of development from a caste, gender and environmental perspective, and evaluates the relationship between current economic models, poverty and inequality.