POL 354 - Political Economy of Development

4 credits (Fall or Spring)

Why are some countries poorer than others? Did Western countries get rich off the backs of poor countries? Are poor countries poor because they have backward cultures and ideas? Are poor countries just badly run by corrupt governments? We will study the politics of economic behavior in today’s poor countries. In Part 1 & 2, we will review the major concepts, theories and trends in development. In Part 3, we will read about the deep and proximate causes of poverty, such as colonialism, clientelism, weak property rights and natural resources. This equips us for Part 4: Solutions, in which we weight the evidence for various remedies for poverty, such as democracy, developmental states, good governance, and foreign aid.

Prerequisite: Third or fourth-year standing and POL 250, POL 251, POL 257, POL 258, POL 259, POL 262, or POL 273, with gradse S, C, or better. ECN 111 is highly recommended.
Instructor: Driscoll