ClassInfo

While some countries have achieved unimaginable levels of wealth and well-being, many others continue to struggle with astonishingly high poverty rates and stagnant growth levels. In this course, we will explore these disparities, focusing on the political aspects of development. We will investigate the different "meanings" of development and grapple with the factors fostering (or hampering) development. We will engage with the theories about the relationship between development and colonialism, state power, geography, natural resources, international aid, and political regime types (democratic vs. authoritarian regimes). We will also focus on distributive politics and different responses to inequality and poverty. The course will provide empirical evidence from various world regions, with a particular emphasis on Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. By the end of the course, students will have a better understanding of the competing explanations for disparities of wealth between countries and possible solutions to global inequalities.