POL 3563 Politics of Developing Countries
This course introduces students to the politics of developing countries and focuses on the common and complex problems facing these countries in their quest to develop. What is political development, and what factors contribute to successful or failed political development? How does colonialism account for political development? Is economic development necessary for political development? Is democracy feasible in the developing world? What are the conditions most favorable for achieving democracy? How does the developed world contribute to the success or failure of lesser-developed countries? In order to address these questions individual cases from Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East will be studied to search for solutions.