Book Review: Understanding Development By Paul Hopper Published by: Polity ISBN: 978-0-7456-3895-9

“…development in essence is concerned with how we as human beings lead our lives, or at least aspire to live them.” (Hopper, 2012, p. 259)
Since the 1980s development studies has become one of the leading discipline in the social sciences. Throughout this time there have been shifting terminologies in development studies. In the 1970s the term was on the environment, by the 1980s the emphasis was on sustainable development and today on the focus is on climate change. Over recent years there has been an avalanche of publications on development studies (Willis, 2011; Gould, 2009; Williams et al, 2009; Desai and Potter, 2008; Power, 2003; Shakur, 2001). Paul Hoper’s book on Understanding Development is a new take on development studies. Moreover, the book gives an in-depth, critical analysis of the concepts and practices of development. Hopper (2012, p.1) notes in the introduction: