Politics of the Developing World

This is an introductory course to the politics of development from a comparative perspective. We will be addressing development issues across different points in time and across different world regions. Two main topics/concepts that will be analyzed throughout the semester are: development and the state. We will study Latin America, Africa, and Asia, which form part of what is known as the developing world or Third World, a labeling which in fact we will challenge. We will also present a comparative overview of the Latin American, African, and Asian regions in general; and familiarize ourselves with and address the debates surrounding the virtues & vices of market economies (and globalization). A cultural component, (films, related to development politics), will also form part of this course.