In her lecture, Corinna R. Unger introduces the field of the history of development by giving a historiographical overview and outlines key issues relating to rural and agricultural development. Links to the history of labour will be demonstrated using three selected examples such as the Groundnut Scheme and the Office du Niger. Current research perspectives include the connection between rural development projects and urban-rural migration or gender inequality. Finally, the talk offers avenues for future research. Corinna R. Unger is Professor of Global and Colonial History (19th and 20th centuries) at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence. In recent years, she focused in her research on the history of development; on environmental history in international perspective and on the history of agriculture and rurality.