Ukungxamiseka nokuxheshwa kwe-development studies ukuze ibe yi-academic discipline kwihafu yesibini yamashumi amabini enkulungwane yeminyaka, yinto ebekufaneleke ukuba sele ikho nanjengoko kusiya kusanda ukuphawula ngalo mbono wezoqoqosho kwi-third world emva kwe-decolonisation. Ixesha lesaquphe emva kwemfazwe, i-development economics, isebe le-economics, lintshule kwizifundo zangaphambili ezaziqhutywa nge-colonial economics. Ngeminyaka yoo-1960, ukwanda kwenani leengcali zophuhliso loqoqosho labonakalisa okokuba i-economics iyodwa ayinakujongana ngokupheleleyo nemiba efana nopolitiko olunamandla kunye nemfundo ebekelwe ukuxhasa. I-Development studies yavela ngenxa yoku, ukuqala kwayo yayijolise ekudibaniseni imibono ye-zopolitiko neyezoqoqosho. Ukusukela ngoko, ibe sisifundo esiluhlobo lwe-inter- and multi-disciplinary, sisisifundo esididiyelwe ngeentlobo-ntlobo ze-social scientific fields. Kutsha nje kule minyaka igqithileyo ukubaluleka kwe-political economy analysis, ukusetyenziswa kwe-analytical techniques ze-economic, ukuhlola nokucacisa imiba yezopolitiko neyasekuhlaleni, isenokuphakamisa okanye yehlise ukukhula okanye uphuhliso kuyinto esuke yathatha unyawo ngokuthi inwenwele ngakumbi njengendlela yokucacisa impumelelo okanye ukuphanza kweenkqubo zokwakha ngokutsha. Ixesha lophuhliso lanamhlanje lusoloko livamise ukukholelwa ngokuqala ngentetho ye-inauguration kaHarry S. Truman ngo-1949. Kwinqaku lesine entethweni yakhe, ebhekisa kwi-Latin America nakwamanye amazwe ahlwempuzekileyo, waathi ""okokuqala ezimbalini, ubuntu bunolwazi kubo kwanesakhono sokhulula aba bantu kwintlupheko abakuyo."". Kodwa i-development studies okokoko yabeka umdla wayo kumava esiwafumene kwizifundo zamandulo ezazibanjwa e-Western countries. Kutsha nje, ukungxamiseka kwe-human security – indlela entsha yokwazisa abantu ukuze baziqonde bathethe nokuthetha ngezoyikiso ezichaphazela ukhuseleko lwehlabathi – ikhokhelele ekubeni kukhula kangakanani na ukuqonda ubudlelwane phakathi kokhuseleko nophuhliso. Ukhuseleko loluntu luthi ukungalingani nokungakhuseleki kwisizwe okanye kwingingqi enye kuneziphumo kukhuseleko lwehlabathi kwaye kusemdleni wazo zonke izizwe ukuchophela imibandela engunobangela yophuhliso. Obu budlelwane bungezifundo zokhuseleko loluntu bungumzekelo omnye kwemininzi kuhlobo lwe-interdisciplinary.