The Developing Areas Research Group (DARG) aims to promote research and understanding of development processes, issues, problems and challenges in the broadest sense. DARG's principal activities are centered around:
- Organising conferences, symposia and workshops
- Material derived from conferences as well as specially produced work published through both commercial publishers and an in-house series of DARG Monographs
- Newsletter produced in spring and autumn each year
- Research register of members' specialist interests
- Competitive annual awards for the best undergraduate dissertation on relevant topics and the best paper delivered by a postgraduate at the annual conference
- Supporting postgraduates via an annual award towards field expenses for those giving papers at DARG conferences
Until recently, this meant an almost exclusive focus on countries of the ‘Third World’, but with the dramatic global politico-economic changes since the late 1980s it is recognised that many parts of eastern Europe and central Asia are experiencing similar conditions and development problems.
The research of the majority of DARG members nonetheless focuses on the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Read about the Committee
Visit the DARG website
DARG presents new undergraduate dissertation guide:
'Doing Development/Global South Dissertations: A Guide for Undergraduates' (PDF)
David W. Smith Memorial Prize 2012 supported by Routledge Publishers
Essay Competition
The Developing Areas Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) annual essay competition in memory of David W. Smith.
David W Smith, who also published under the name of David Drakakis Smith, was an outstanding scholar committed to researching on Third World cities. He died in 1999.
A2 level students in England and Wales and Advanced Higher students in Scotland are invited to write an essay of up to 1500 words on the following title:
Assess the view that food insecurity is undermining economic and social progress in the Global South.
Essay prize: £100 cheque from Routledge Publishers.
Essays should be word processed, 1.5 spaced.
Essays must be received by Friday 9 March 2012. Please include your name, school and contact details with your essay.
Your teacher must confirm that the essay is your own work.
If you would like to acknowledge receipt of your essay please include a stamped addressed envelope.
Submit either hard copy or electronic copy to:
g.miller@chester.ac.uk
Gill Miller
David W Smith Memorial Prize
Department of Geography and Development Studies
University of Chester College
Parkgate Road
Chester CH1 4BJ
Find out more about awards and prizes for undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations from RGS-IBG Research Groups.