POLS 385-011: Spec Tops: Political Science: Politics of Econ Development (Spring 2010)

The challenge for developing counties is no longer whether to participate in the global economy but how to do so in a way that provides for sustainable and equitable growth. This class focuses on the political factors influencing economic development with an eye to the following two questions: How do countries reconcile national autonomy, sustainability and equity on the one hand, with engagement with foreign firms and markets on the other? How do we explain why some countries and regions have done better than others in taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the global economy? The course begins with a discussion of different concepts of development and of globalization, especially with regard to specific economic sectors. After examining contending explanations for what one economist has termed the surprising "divergence, big time" in economic growth rates among countries, the course proposes an explicitly political approach. The rest of the course (around two thirds) uses this approach as a lens through which to examine specific development issues. These may include, for example, 1) industrial development, 2) agricultural development; 3) education/training, 4) health issues, such as HIV/AIDS. The course should be of interest not only to political science students, but also majors in econ, anthropology, sociology, and business. More than half of the course's empirical material will be drawn from Asian cases.