Development aid has evolved considerably in the post-World War II period until today – initially designed like a project of national development in its beginnings in the 1940s to its current shape as a holistic approach to promote economic and social changes in developing countries, which aim at being sustainable and equitable. While most of the initially founded development agencies are still operating and remain influential, the way they function has changed significantly and important new actors have entered the field. This course provides students with a critical introduction to the central theories and concepts of development in a historical perspective as well as an overview of contemporary debates in development aid with a detailed review of the major actors, that have dominated debates about “development” and their struggles of interpretation. The course is structured in four parts. Part I examines the main terms and concepts of development which will be used throughout the course. Part II of the course provides an introduction to various theories of development from the 1940s onwards, starting with modernization theory, followed by structural adjustment programs to what is nowadays called a holistic approach to development. Part III examines various actors of development as well as the role of “development experts”, in particular international organizations such as the World Bank, the IMF and the UNDP. The course closes with a critical discussion of the likely and possible future shape of development aid and the role IOs (can) play therein.