The question of why poverty is so persistent and why some countries remain poor, seemingly against all odds, has intrigued economists and other social scientists, and is the central concern of modern development economics. Since the mid-twentieth century, when many former colonies gained independence and started out on their own, experimenting with new economic policies, the questions of development economics have come to acquire an urgency that was not there earlier. And the last twenty years or so have seen an enormous resurgence of research interest in development economics. With so many international organizations and so many governments trying to craft effective policy for development, the rise of interest in development economics is not surprising. But apart from this practical importance, the foundational questions of development economics are also intellectually exciting. This course will give a fairly comprehensive account of modern development economics. We will cover the basics of development theory and policy. Fundamental to this are issues of definition and measurement, testing of theories, familiarity with problems of both short and long run, application of both micro and macroeconomics, interdisciplinary analysis, use of social benefit-cost analysis, and sources and uses of data for use as a country-desk officer of a bank or international agency.