Politics of Development

Catalog description

This course introduces students to major processes taking place in parts of the globe that are growing in significance. More than 4/5 of the world's population lives in what is broadly known as the developing world. There is an enormous diversity within it in terms of economic development, political systems, and social conditions. Seemingly contradictory, it is home to both wealthy (Taiwan, Saudi Arabia) and extremely poor nations (sub-Saharan Africa), robust democracies (Costa Rica), and severe authoritarian regimes (Uzbekistan, North Korea). As the developing world grows and expands these nations are poised to shape some of the most important transnational issues such as global migration, security, health, and environment (David, 1992; Veenendaal & Corbett, 2015). As such, WCU students need to be academically exposed to this growing reality. The course intends to do just that from a systematic, diverse perspective.