The Developing World: Critical Issues in Politics and Society

Nation-states in the developing world have seen a renaissance in their political, social, and economic structures. Newly industrializing countries like Brazil, Mexico, China, and India are poised to claim the 21st century as their own. But economic conditions in many nations of the developing world still leave much to be desired, especially with respect to its marginalized citizens, whose incomes are often less than two dollars a day. Scholars continue to ask what academics, political actors, economic entrepreneurs, and others—committed to tackling the bane of underdevelopment in the developing world—can do to improve the plight of these nations’ destitute populations. The Developing World: Critical Issues in Politics and Society explores the challenges presented by political, cultural, religious, social, and economic practices to the future development of these nation-states. The essays gathered here—written by seasoned scholars with deep social, political, and academic roots in Africa, Asia, and Latin America—explain how improvements in politics, social arrangements, and information communication technologies contribute to the effectiveness of emerging nations’ internal politics and their influence on world affairs. Individual essays consider such key issues as how to develop more efficiently the processes of liberal democratizationhow to apply more uniformly the law enforcement policies of governments to all citizens in a societyhow the marginalization of women hampers national developmenthow the political development of Mexico as a “linguistic regional power” has influenced the rest of Central Americahow development and protection of the environment are linkedhow an effective application of information communication technologies can enhance the quality of education and boost growth at all levels in a polity This work will interest scholars focused on the developing world, social and public policy, international politics, and social and political theory.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments Acronyms Chapters General Introduction E. Ike Udogu Chapter 1: Liberal Democratization and Democracy George K. Kieh, Jr. Chapter 2: Law Enforcement Issues: Strategies for Reformation Bennett A. Odunsi Chapter 3: Human Rights Constraints: Analysis and Potential Solutions E. Ike Udogu Chapter 4: Gender Marginalization: A Discourse on the Status of Women in South Asia and How It Might Be Tackled Sambuddha Ghatak Chapter 5: Mexican Political Development and Its Influence on Central America David R. Davila-Villers Chapter 6: The Politics of Development and Protection of the Environment . E. Ike Udogu Chapter 7: Boosting Access to Computer Technology as a way of Improving Education: An Examination of Challenges and Solutions Kwesi A. Tandoh Bibliography Appendix A: Statement of the United National Conference on Human Environment, 21st Plenary Meeting, 16 June 1972 Appendix B: Declaration on Social Progress and Development, Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 2542 (XXIV) of 11 December 1969 Index About the Contributors

About the Author :
E. Ike Udogu is faculty fellow and professor in the department of government and justice studies at Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina. A former director of research and publication at the African Studies and Research Forum, he is the author of several books and articles and the recipient of many awards for his scholarship.