Key Terminologies in Development Studies

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to poverty, political systems, colonialism, and development theories.

Absolute Poverty

A condition of extreme deprivation where individuals lack basic necessities for survival such as food, clean water, shelter, and healthcare.

Asylum Seeker

An individual who has escaped their home country seeking protection in another country, pending legal recognition of their refugee status.

Atlantic Trade Triangle

A transatlantic trade system (16th–19th centuries) linking Europe, Africa, and the Americas, characterized by Europe exporting goods, Africa supplying enslaved labor, and the Americas providing raw materials.

Authoritarian Regime

A political system where power is concentrated in a single authority or small group, characterized by limited political freedoms and restricted civil liberties.

Bilateral Aid

Direct foreign assistance from one country to another, often influenced by political and economic interests.

Brain Drain

The emigration of highly educated or skilled people from one country to another, leading to a loss of human capital in the origin country.

Capability Approach

A development framework emphasizing individuals’ freedoms and abilities to achieve valued lives, beyond just economic growth.

Clientelism

A political system where goods and services are exchanged for political support, reinforcing inequality and undermining democracy.

Colonialism

Domination and control of one nation over another territory and its people, often justified through various motives.

Development

A multi-dimensional process involving economic growth and human well-being, shaped by various political, cultural, and historical factors.

Colony of Exploitation

A type of colony focused primarily on the extraction of resources and labor without permanent settlement of colonizers.

Colony of Settlement

A colony where settlers from the colonizing country permanently inhabit the territory, displacing Indigenous populations.

Core

In the core-periphery model, wealthy industrialized countries that dominate global trade and technology.

Cultural Genocide

A process aimed at destroying the cultural foundations of a group, including forced assimilation and suppression of traditions.

Declining Terms of Trade

A situation where the value of a country's exports declines relative to imports, degrading economic conditions for developing countries.

Decolonization

The process through which colonies gained independence from European powers, especially after World War II, often involving national movements.

Democratic Regime

A government system where power derives from the people through elections, protecting civil liberties and the rule of law.

Dependency Theory

A theory suggesting that global inequality stems from the exploitation of poorer countries by wealthier nations in a capitalist system.

Development Aid

Long-term assistance provided to support economic growth and social development in less developed countries.

Dish with One Spoon Covenant

An Indigenous agreement to share land and resources sustainably, emphasizing mutual respect among nations.