Time Schedule:
Sunila S. Kale
SIS 590
Seattle Campus
Seminar. Course content varies. Offered occasionally by visiting or resident faculty.
Class description
Comparative International Political Economy of Development
In this class on the comparative political economy of development, we focus the bulk of our empirical and theoretical attention on the challenges of “late development,” as distinct from the earlier experiences of Western Europe and the US. The course is divided into two major sections. We begin by critically engaging the term “development,” exploring what kinds of assumptions are embedded in the dominant teleologies of political and economic change. In the remainder of the weeks we will read about and discuss economic change through a common political economy framework that hinges on the tripartite relationships of state, market, and society. We consider a range of arguments for the emergence and absence of development, including theories that focus on social structure, institutions such as property rights, natural resources, political and economic geography, state-society relations, and historical legacies.
Student learning goals
critically evaluate different definitions and theories of development
compare different models of development in Asia, Africa, and Latin America
General method of instruction
seminar format; student participation required
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
weekly reaction papers; two short papers; lead discussion once
participation (25%); leading discussion (25%); two essays (50%)
