Politics of Development

The purpose of this module is to examine the effects of political factors on economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. It aims to familiarise students with various theories of economic development, specifically the role of the state and government intervention, and then to guide students in tracing these theories against the empirical evidence from a range of examples from states in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. It will thereby enable students to acquire a nuanced and empirically grounded perspective on the reasons for wide variations in economic development.

Objectives and learning outcomes of the module

On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:

• Understand the various theories of economic development, more especially of the role of the state and government intervention in economic development
• Test such theories against the evidence from a range of Asian, Latin American and African states
• Gain 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
• Use analytical tools of various political economy approaches, including Rational Choice theory

Workload

This module will be taught over 10 weeks with:

• 1 hour lecture per week
• 1 hour tutorial per week

Method of assessment

• Assignment 1: 20%
• Assignment 2: 80%

Disclaimer

Important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules