| Department of Development Studies |
Department of Development Studies (DDS) is a research department in the faculty of Social Science in Kannada University. With the intention of making the University more relevant to the local civil society (Civil Society of Hyderabad Karnataka) the DDS was established on the 1st March 1996. It is (University and the DDS) located near the well-known historical heritage - Hampi. DDS lays emphasis on multidisciplinary perspectives both in defining the thrust areas and also in opting methodologies of inquiry. These researches have policy implications at immediate operative level as well as for long-term development strategy formulation. The main objective of DDS is to take up inter-disciplinary research on economy, polity and society of Karnataka and also to make policy suggestions, which are in tune with the historically formed socio-economic and cultural life of the people. DDS also takes active interest in equipping the marginalized people with necessary skills and knowledge to enable them to make use of the existing development facilities to their benefit. The specific objectives of DDS are -
- To take up interdisciplinary research on development issues
- To conduct training programs to people, people’s representatives and officials connected with the development policy making and execution.
- To disseminate knowledge on development issues through different media
- To work as development consultants
Research:
Our objective is to conduct research, which advances understanding of the complex economic, social and political processes of change in the poorer parts of the state and also to educate people, people’s representatives and development practioners at grassroots to understand these processes in a multidisciplinary perspective. Thrust areas of research are –
- Participatory rural development
- Gender issues and development
- Housing, drinking water and education
- Civil society and Panchayatraj
- Rural development management
Training:
The DDS has developed a unique training module. This module differs from the conventional training modulus of both the academic and the bureaucratic varieties. Motivation and skill formation are the essential ingredients of the conventional training programs. They are necessary; but not sufficient. DDS has developed a critical social participation module with the intention of replacing the superficial and cosmetic kind of participation. Our training module aims at enabling the trainees to understand the social context in which they live and also to enable them to make use of the local resources to solve the problems. On going and proposed training targets are
- People’s representatives of local bodies
- Development administrators at the grassroots
- Development befeciaries
Reach:
DDS has taken up the responsibility of disseminating its research output with the following two objectives. One, educating the society on the life of the marginalized. Two, bringing together all those who work in the field of development. All the stakeholders of development are educated and brought together with the ultimate objective of forming alternative development policies that are more in favour of the lower strata of the society. DDS uses and intends to use the following media to reach the research output to the people -
- Bring out a bi-annual journal called Abhivridhi Adhyayana (Development Studies)
- Conducts regular Ph.D., programs and intends to take up short duration courses on alternative development subjects
- Intends to launch a website to disseminate the research output to the larger society
- Organizes development conferences – conference of all the development stakeholders
Extension Services:
With the intention of intervening directly in the area of policy making and practice of development, the members of the department are working in various committees and bodies. The specific representations are
- Members of state level expert committee formed to strengthen panchayats\
- Advisers to District Planning Committees
- Advisers to NGOs working on rural development
- Members of State Level Rural Development Institution SIRD, Mysore
- Members of State Education Department to strengthen the community participation towards quality school education
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Telephone number/s: 08394 - 241337 Ext. 318
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Indicate the date of establishment of the department : 1992
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Name of the Head of the Department: Dr H.D. Prashanth
List the faculty :
