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Frequently Asked Questions
What is international development studies (IDS)?
How can I become a member? Why should I?
Where can I go to study International Development?
What is international development studies (IDS)?
The study of how countries 'develop' has long been an important facet of many different disciplines in the social sciences, including Economics, Political Science, Sociology, and many others. Development, in the earliest years of the field, usually meant economic 'modernization' and industrialization along the same lines as Western countries like Britain, France, or Germany. Over time, this rather parochial understanding of development has been broadened to include many different aspects of what it may mean to live in a 'developed' society. By measures of 'human development', including measures like life expectancy, literacy rates, social security, and infant mortality, it is clear that we still have a long way to go in terms of raising international development.
Luckily, what was once a fragmented topic, contained within the many 'silos' of different academic departments, has grown into an interdisciplinary field that draws on knowledge from all of the social sciences and humanities. CASID is at the forefront of this growing field, with a membership that consists of many of the most prominent Canadian scholars, researchers, and practitioners in the field.
What is the Canadian Association for the Study of International Development (CASID) and why do we need one?
CASID is an interdisciplinary, bilingual organization dedicated to the promotion of international development studies (IDS) in Canada and abroad. CASID is a membership-based organization, and receives funding from the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. In order to accomplish its goals, CASID sponsors many different types of events and conferences across Canada to facilitate learning and networking amongst the IDS community. These include five regional events, two Development Forums, and an Annual Conference for members only. CASID also publishes the Canadian Journal of Development Studies..
In surveys of people attending events sponsored by CASID, it is a near unanimous opinion that a national association for people working in the field of IDS is an integral and indispensible element in producing knowledge and raining public awareness of issues important in international development. CASID strives to do the best that it can in this regard, and is always open to suggestions on how to improve its delivery of these services.
How can I become a member? Why should I?
Membership in CASID definitely has its advantages, some of which include eligibility to receive travel grants to attend the Annual Conference, receipt of the Canadian Journal of Development Studies, and the opportunity to meet and network with prominent Canadians working in the field of International Development. For more information, you can visit the membership section of this website, where you can download a membership application form.
Where can I go to study International Development?
There are many academic departments and programs both in Canada and abroad that are dedicated to the study of International Development. CASID maintains a list of programs under the links section on this website. Alternatively, you can visit the website for the Canadian Consortium of University Programs in International Development Studies (CCUPIDS) for more information about programs in Canada, or the UK Institute of Development Studies website.