CPOL4804 International Development
Why are some countries rich and others poor? How do countries’ colonial pasts continue to shape their economic and political present? What strategies have been most successful in generating economic growth and social well-being? And why do rates of poverty and inequality tend to be higher in countries in the Global South?
In answering these and other questions, this course seeks to offer a comprehensive introduction to some of the key theoretical and conceptual issues and debates that have become central to the study of the politics of international development. It proceeds from the notion that that human development outcomes must be understood in relation to the broader social, political, economic and historical contexts within which they are produced.
The course is thus divided into two halves. In the first half, the course concentrates on the evolution of the major post-WWII theoretical approaches that have attempted to explain the social, economic and political experiences of Global South countries. In the process, this course offers a historical analysis of efforts of Global South countries to industrialize their economies in the second half of the 20th century. The course then moves on to a more focused examination of some of the key themes and debates involved in the analysis of contemporary political processes in the Global South, including the relationship between civil conflict and development, the politics of foreign aid, the role of NGOs in development, and the rise of South-South cooperation.
Over the course of the term, it is my hope that students will not only become familiarized with the key issues and theories in both the historical and contemporary study of development politics but will also be able to develop the theoretical tools to critically engage with contemporary political developments in the Global South and beyond.
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