The positive view of development as seeking improvements in the well-being of people in the Global South is constantly challenged. The course discusses advanced topics on the ongoing critique of the trends and instruments for measuring development as well as the in-built politics regarding the choice of a particular set of instruments. Additionally, the course highlights debates on aid effectiveness, aid modalities, partnerships, and the changing relations among development actors. Students will acquire in-depth knowledge about the inherent political pressures in development interventions. They will critically assess the political motivations of the actors in relation to their constituencies and specific interventions.