Though the practice of development is as old as human civilization, the study of development has a relatively short history, really dating back only as far as the 1950s. Since then, the interdisciplinary field of development studies has seen many changes in thinking regarding the meaning and purpose of development (ideologies) and in development practice (strategies of development).
This course basically deals with political economy of development. To this end, it is made to have Four carefully selected chapters. The first chapter explores the notion, core values, objectives and scope of development and the notion of political economy both at domestic and international levels. The second chapter analytically explores the contending models and theories of development in a form of comparative review; namely, the “Modernization” theories, the dependency perspective, the Marxist perspective of development, and alternative development theories/strategies. Chapter three mainly examines the diverse structures, major problems, issues and characteristics of developing countries along with the structure of developing countries’ economies. Chapter four deals with and examines development planning, market and the state by way of focusing on recurring debates of state failure versus market failure; nature, rationale, and process of development planning; the crisis in planning, privatization; and financial systems and monetary policy.
- Teacher: Mezgebu Mandefro