Why Study IDS at Trent?

Today, the 225 richest people in the world have a combined wealth that is equal to the annual income of the poorest 47 percent of the world’s population.

Why is the world so unequal? How has the emergence of a global market economy influenced this inequality? How are complex global forces experienced in people’s everyday lives?

International Development Studies at Trent is an interdisciplinary program that studies human inequality in global perspective. Taking a comparative approach, it examines the sources and consequences of such inequality, looking at economic, cultural, political, historical, gender, environmental and social dimensions. We pay particular attention to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable populations, especially those of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America, regions increasingly known as the ‘Global South’, and their complex relations with the most powerful regions, groups and international organizations. As Canada’s first IDS program, it remains in the forefront with its coherent curriculum and dedicated faculty.

“The Trent IDS program goes far beyond preparation to do humanitarian work; it exposes us to material inequality and uneven development at home and abroad and invites a wide range of explanations for economic injustice. IDS doesn't pressure its students to explain complex global problems with specialized knowledge, but with comprehensive and creative thinking that presents opportunities for action. It's always challenging, but persistently optimistic!”

~Geoff Cameron, IDS Student

Find out more about our unique year abroad programs in Ghana and Ecuador, degree programs and educational opportunities in IDS, and the vibrant student life at Trent.