POEC6354 - Theories and Issues of Development

POEC 6354 Theories and Issues of Development (3 semester hours) In approaching development, there is an important interaction between theories and issues, each to some extent defining the other. This course will review a number of prominent instances in which we see this interaction - where theory has shaped the way people defined and approached practical problems and also where pressing practical problems have sometimes demanded new theoretical developments. Specific theories and issues discussed vary. Possible theories of interest include arguments for and against slavery, mercantilism, the idea of economic "takeoff," central planning versus pluralism, and the role of democracy and human rights. Issues include labor conditions, urban living conditions, population growth and population quality, environmental pollution and sustainability, and governmental ineffectiveness and corruption. (3-0) Y