ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the main trends in thinking about ‘development’, focusing on the post-Second World War period. It presents fact that ‘international development’ as a concept has became much more institutionalized in government structures after the Second World War, particularly as countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean gained their independence. The chapter provides an overview of key approaches and how they have been implemented and experienced at a range of scales. It outlines how different actors and scales fit into the main development theories and policies. ‘Development’ as a specific set of activities and goals is often identified as dating from the immediate post-Second World War period. Different development theories and policies will promote development interventions at different scales, some preferring national-level strategies, others advocating local-level activities, drawing on the expertise of people and communities at the grassroots.
