Q: Trace the trajectory of development perspectives on social change.

Model Answer:

Development implies directed and desired social change. Sociological perspectives have systematically evolved from unilinear, Eurocentric economic models to critical, structural, and human-centric paradigms.

Trajectory of Development Theories

• Modernization (1950s-60s): W.W. Rostow (The Stages of Economic Growth) and Talcott Parsons viewed development as a linear, evolutionary shift from “traditional” to “modern” industrial societies.
• Dependency (1970s): Critiquing modernization, A.G. Frank argued that global capitalism causes the “development of underdevelopment” through surplus extraction by core nations from the periphery.
• World Systems (1980s): Immanuel Wallerstein refined dependency by adding the dynamic semi-periphery concept to explain shifting global capitalist inequalities.
• Human and Post-Development (1990s+): Amartya Sen (Development as Freedom) introduced the Capability Approach prioritizing human well-being, while Arturo Escobar offered post-development critiques of Western hegemony.

The rise of BRICS nations perfectly exemplifies Wallerstein’s semi-periphery, while the global adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reflects the contemporary shift toward eco-centric and human-development paradigms.

Conclusion

The sociology of development has successfully transitioned from equating social change merely with capital accumulation and economic growth to a holistic framework emphasizing global equity, ecological sustainability, and human freedom.