The Political Economy of Development

Why have some countries developed more rapidly than others? How can governments help or hinder the development process? In this course we will address these broad questions by analyzing the development of Asian, Latin American, and African countries. To gain a historical perspective we will begin with the experiences of the now "developed" countries, followed by an examination of how countries have confronted the dilemmas of development, such as corruption, income inequality, and environmental degradation. By studying development through a political economy lens, we will present the intersections between a political and economic understanding of the complex process of development. (Not open to students who have taken PSCI/ECON 1027) (Comparative Politics)/