POLS446-24S1 (C) Semester One 2024

Political Economy of Economic Growth and Development

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 19 February 2024
End Date: Sunday, 23 June 2024
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 3 March 2024
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 12 May 2024

Description

This course examines the historical major economic, political, and social changes in the world economy in general and a comparative case study focus on East and Southern Asia. Discussion includes factors contributing to increases in economics performance, changes in the form of government, technological change (including industrialization), and episodes of integration and disintegration of the global economy. The course will also survey the impact of colonialism and the development of the nation-state and examines the theoritical approaches to economic development and growth.

This course examines the major historical economic, political, and social changes in the world economy. These include factors contributing to increases in economics performance, changes in the form of government, technological change (including industrialization), and episodes of integration and disintegration of the global economy.  Can there be development outside of a state structure?  What is the role of economic organizations of society in development?  These are some of the questions that we examine in these and in so doing we will survey some of the major theoretical approaches to understanding the politics of economic development.

Emphasis is on institutional changes in how societies organize economic and political activities as well as on variation in development among geographic regions. Using this background, the course takes up some key issue facing nation-states including foreign trade and investment, debt, aid, and agents of change. Political economy is a core course for any political science degree at any level. The knowledge and the ability to methodically and empirically analyse how politics and economics interact is fundamental in the scientific and empirical study of politics and international relations.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon satisfactory completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Read original articles in political science and international relations, political economy, economic history, and development studies journals;
2. Have the knowledge and skills to analyse and evaluate the various theoretical approaches to political economy;
3. Understand how the international economic system operates and understand the various mechanisms by which economies develop;
4. Apply political science, economic and development theories and analysis to historical and contemporary episodes of contemporary political-economic issues;
5. Understand the different perspectives and theories of development and change in the modern era;
6. Analyse the competing interests, motivations and rhetoric of key stakeholders and interest groups;
7. Conduct research and think critically and to develop academic writing styles to suit different purposes;
8. Understand the issues and processes described and to relate them to current affairs and present-day issues of significance;
9. Write well-structured, coherent, and concise essays that synthesize ideas as presented in discussion, readings, and research materials.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.

Restrictions

POLS407, DIPL407, ILAP671

Timetable 2024

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 13:00 - 16:00 John Britten 117 HP Seminar Room
19 Feb - 24 Mar
22 Apr - 2 Jun

Course Coordinator

Alex Tan

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Reading summaries 20% 800-1000 words
Discussion question answers 20% Student will download the question sheet from the class LEARN site on the day and will have 24 hours to answer the questions. 400-500 words.
Mid-term test 04 Apr 2022 25%
Final test 30 May 2022 35%

Textbooks / Resources

Bates, Robert. 2001. Prosperity and Violence: The Political Economy of Development. New York: Free Press. (Entire book)

Bates, Robert. 2017. The Development Dilemma: Security, Prosperity and a Return to History. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Gourevitch, Peter. Politics of Hard Times. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. (Chapters 1, 2, 6)

Haggard, Stefan. Pathways from the Periphery. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. (Chapters 1, 2, 6 and 10)

Nooruddin, Irfan. 2012.  Coalition Politics and Economic Development. New York: Oxford University Press. (Chapters 1 to 3)

North, Douglass. 1981.  Structure and Change in Economic History.  New York: W.W. Norton. (Chapters 1 to 6)

White. T. Lynn. Political Booms. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing. (Chapters 1, 4, and 5)

Clark, Cal and Alexander C. Tan. 2012. Taiwan’s Political Economy. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishing. (Selected chapters)

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $2,046.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .

All POLS446 Occurrences

  • POLS446-24S1 (C) Semester One 2024