POLS-245 : Seminar in International Development Policies

Two related themes run through the material to be covered in this course: the relationship between politics and economic development and the dynamics of political development. After a critical assessment of the discourse and history of development, we will discuss topics such as the role of the state in the economy, strong versus weak and failed states and state-building efforts, the effect of political institutions and legal frameworks in determining policy choices and driving economic growth, the relationship between democracy and development, dynamics of democratic transitions and democracy promotion, the civil society, political accountability, transparency, and the anti-corruption agenda, and the debates around good governance.