Political Economy of Development [2628]

General Information

• Credits: 3 ECTS
• Prerequisites: Bachelor's or Licence level (or equivalent); proficiency in English
• Learning format: asynchronous distance learning – 100% e-learning
• Language of instruction: English
• Course access: available at any time of year
• Disability liaison officer: Cécile Boucherle 

Course Overview

This course examines the political economy of development by analysing how political institutions, economic structures, power relations and policy choices shape development outcomes in the Global South. It introduces the theoretical and empirical foundations of the “new” political economy and considers why some developing countries achieve sustained growth while others experience stagnation or institutional failure. Particular attention is given to the developmental state, drawing on the experience of the East Asian economies and examining whether this model can be applied in African and other developing-country contexts. The course also explores the natural resource curse, including its economic, political and social effects, and analyses mechanisms such as rent-seeking and Dutch disease.

Course Objectives

This course enables you to:

• understand the theoretical and empirical foundations of the new political economy of development;
  
• analyse the interaction between political institutions, economic structures and policy choices in shaping development outcomes;
  
• explain the concept and characteristics of the developmental state and assess the factors underlying the economic success of East Asian countries;
  
• evaluate the relevance and limitations of the developmental state model for Africa and other countries in the Global South; and 
  
• analyse the causes, mechanisms and consequences of the natural resource curse, including rent-seeking, Dutch disease, institutional weakness and political instability. 

Course Competencies

This course is linked to the following competency:

• Analyse the interplay between sustainable development, migration and the responsibility of economic actors (Track A, Master's in Human Rights).

Course Outline

Section 1: Emerging issues in the ‘new” political economy of development

Section 2: The political economy of countries with economic success – developmental states

Section 3: The political economy of the resource curse countries

Assessment Methods 

Course assessment is based on:

• tracking and completion of the course and of all learning activities. These activities, designed as essential practice and learning exercises, may be completed multiple times and are not factored into the final grade; and
  
• the final assessment quiz, which constitutes the graded evaluation.

Learning Format

The course is taught entirely online via the MyDomuni platform, accessible 24/7.
Learning resources include:

• written course materials;
• supplementary documents and, depending on the content, video resources;
• interactive learning activities (quizzes, exercises); and
• a discussion forum with the course instructor and fellow participants.

Prerequisites 

This course is open to anyone holding a Master 1 / Master of Arts 1 (or an equivalent qualification) in law, the humanities, social sciences, theology, or a related field connected to human rights, or with significant personal or academic experience related to the topics covered.

A good command of written English is recommended to facilitate understanding of the content and participation in the activities offered.

Accessibility

The course is accessible at any time, from any internet-connected device, via the MyDomuni platform.
For students with disabilities, specific support can be arranged upon request to ensure equitable access to course content and activities.

Disability liaison officer: cecile.boucherle@domuni.eu. 

Selective Bibliography

• Johnson Chalmers, MITI and the Japanese Miracle: The Growth of Industrial Policy, 1925-1975, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 1982.
• Evans Peter B., Embedded Autonomy: States and Industrial Transformation, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1995.
• Wade Robert, Governing the Market: Economic Theory and the Role of Government in East Asian Industrialisation, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1990.
• Macartan Humphreys Jeffrey D. Sachs, Joseph E. Stiglitz (dir.), Escaping the Resource Curse, New York, Columbia University Press, 2007.
• Ross, Michael L., The Oil Curse: How Petroleum Wealth Shapes the Development of Nations, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2012.