Politics of development
- Module Code:
- 153400042
- Unit value:
- 1
- Taught in:
- Full Year
The purpose of this course is to examine the effects of political factors on economic development. More especially, it seeks to examine the significance of various types of government intervention, and of the political dynamics influencing such intervention, in explaining why some Asian, Latin American and African states have developed quite rapidly since the 1950s whereas others have experienced continuing or even deepening underdevelopment. The course aims to familiarise students with various theories of economic development, more especially of the role of the state and government intervention in economic development, and then to guide students in testing these against the empirical evidence from a range of Asian, Latin American and African states. It will thereby enable students to develop a more nuanced and more firmly empirically grounded perspective on the reasons for wide variations in the development experiences of developing societies over the last 50 years. It will, in the process, train students in the use of analytical tools of various political economy approaches, including rational choice theory. Objectives and learning outcomes of the module
On completion of the course students will have:
- Familiarity with various theories of economic development, more especially of the role of the state and government intervention in economic development
- Tested such theories against the evidence from a range of Asian, Latin American and African states
- Gained a nuanced and empirically grounded perspective on the reasons for wide variations in the development experiences of Asian and African states over the past 50 years
- The ability to use analytical tools of various political economy approaches, including Rational Choice theory
Method of assessment
Assessment is 30% coursework and 70% unseen examination.
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