Why are some countries considered rich and other poor? Where does the term Global South come from and how can we use it to address pressing global poverty issues? This course answers these questions by introducing students to major concepts and debates in the sociology of development. The first half of the course familiarizes students with the historical roots of contemporary global inequalities, starting with the legacies of colonialism, the construction of the post-World War II world order, and the rise of neoliberalism. We will also compare major theories of development, including modernization, dependency, and world-systems. The second half of the course surveys different topics in the study and practice of development as it connects to poverty and inequality in countries of the so-called Global South, with the aim to critically approach themes such as gender, cash transfers, microcredit, and public health from a sociological perspective.