• & South Asia
• Development Economics
• Latin America
• Neo-classical Economics
• Sub-Sahara
• The Success & Failures Of Develpoment Economics

Development economics is a complex field of study that considers the sole development of any society. It has started its journey for more than one hundred years. After hundreds of years of development economics, we need to concentrate on what has been achieved by this discipline and what has not been. In this thesis, we call it the success and the failures of this discipline. This study basically provided a critical understanding of the limitations of development economics and which limitations are observed over the years during real-life practice. This study is carried forward by providing an emphasis on the principles of inclusive and sustainable development. The development will not be meaningful if it does not sustain or include the perspectives of all classes of people, leaving no one behind.
This study has started by presenting a general introduction to development economics. Later, it presents ten different definitions from ten different authors. No single definition represents one point of view. This section shows there is no unified definition of development economics. To introduce the vastness of this discipline, this thesis also presents the subject matter of development economics. This subject matter is presented in the form of what is taught in the universities' development economics courses. But one thing was common through the definitions and the subject matters of development economics. And this common thing is the development of the societies.

Later, this study examines the progression of ideas and approaches within this discipline. This section shows how the conventional ideas of development economics have already failed to capture the complex landscape of development largely. In this point this study introduced three points, and they are the ineffectiveness of traditional economic theories, sociopolitical difficulties, and insufficient emphasis on human growth. In the sub-title of the traditional economic theories' ineffectiveness, this thesis shows how the neo-classical economic growth has failed and how the Washington Consensus, as well as Structural Adjustment Programs (SAP), have not been able to bring the desired outcome at all. The socio-political context examines the cases of political unrest, corruption, weak governance, and institutional inadequacies. Lastly, this section ends with discussing the context of insufficient emphasis on human growth in terms of lack of social and cultural considerations and inadequate emphasis on poverty reduction, education, and healthcare.
To understand the failures of development economics to capture the complex domain of society, this study provides three case studies. And they are the cases of the Sub-sahara, Latin America, and South Asia. Each case of development and underdevelopment from those regions has some similarities and some dissimilarities also. These cases are presented in this thesis both as a narrative and some supporting table as a summary. To make the points of underdevelopment more evident, this thesis compares three cases in a single form and shows the similarities and dissimilarities in a single frame.
On the basis of the generic critics and the critics derived from the case studies, this study has sorted out all of the critics in three points. They are epistemological critics, human-centred development, and perspectives on post-development. In line with those critics, this study suggests some ways out. These ways outs suggest no single approach or strategy at all. These lists of alternative development strategies include development pluralism, post-development approach, capabilities-based approach, feminist approach, institutional and strategic analysis, human development index, SDGs, participatory development, post-growth economics, sustainability and human well-being focus and so on. Here, the critics of development economics come from a number of points of view, and that is why no unique solution is possible. That is why a number of the strategies are suggested herewith. These lists of alternative development strategies include development pluralism, post-development approach, capabilities-based approach, feminist approach, institutional and strategic analysis, human development index, SDGs, participatory development, post-growth economics, sustainability and human well-being focus and so on. Here, the critics of development economics come from a number of points of view, and that is why no unique solution is possible. That is why a number of the strategies are suggested herewith.
Beyond the necessity of the pathways of how development economics can be practised, This study also suggests some ways out about the sole future pathways of development economics. This study suggests three pathways of development economics, and they are Integrating Transdisciplinary Perspectives into Development Policy, Governance and Institution Strengthening for Effective Development and Prioritizing Social Development and Human Welfare with Economic Expansion. These three components have many more elements which need special focus.

This thesis basically ends by suggesting the future pathways of development economics. This thesis suggests three pathways, and these three pathways are Integrating Transdisciplinary Perspectives into Development Policy, Governance and Institution Strengthening for Effective Development and Prioritizing Social Development and Human Welfare with Economic Expansion. Later, each of the three suggestions possesses more components herewith.
In conclusion, It is tough to generalize to conclude whether development economics is a failed one or a successful one. This discipline is still learning from its mistakes. The critics of the conventional understanding of development economics are becoming the sole part of development economics. From this perspective, development economics is still learning.But how much learning will establish this discipline as an error-free one is another question.Whether a discipline dealing with society can reach that position requires another debate regarding the shortcomings of social science compared with natural science.