Shaping the Developing World: The West, the South, and the Natural World

Why are some countries rich and others poor? Colonialism, globalization, bad government, gender inequality, geography, and environmental degradation are just some of the potential answers to this complex question. Using a threefold framework of the West, the South, and the natural world, Shaping the Developing World provides a logical and intuitive structure for categorizing and evaluating the causes of underdevelopment. This interdisciplinary book also describes the social, political, and economic aspects of development and is relevant to students in political science, international studies, geography, sociology, economics, gender studies, and anthropology. The Second Edition has been updated to include the most recent development statistics and to incorporate new research on topics like climate change, democratization, religion and prosperity, the resource curse, and more. This second edition also contains expanded discussions of gender, financial inclusion, crime and police killings, and the Middle East, including the Syrian Civil War.

Table of Contents:
Tables, Figures, and Maps Preface About the Author Part I Introduction Chapter 1 Underdevelopment and Diversity in the Global South Defining the Developing World Economic, Social, and Political Characteristics of LDCs A Brief History of Economic Development Goals and Organization: Who or What Causes Global Poverty? Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 2 Human Development and Underdevelopment Defining Human Development Health Snapshot: Description and Causes of the Developing World’s Deficit Health Trends: Tracking Improvements in LDCs Education Snapshot: Description and Causes of the Developing World’s Deficit Education Trends: Tracking Improvements in LDCs through Time Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 3 The Costs and Benefits of Economic Development Income Inequality and Development The Environment and Development Culture and Development Happiness and Development Conclusion Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Part II The West: International Contexts Chapter 4 Slavery and Colonialism The Atlantic Slave Trade Causes of Underdevelopment: The Long-Term Damage of Slavery Critique: Questioning the Magnitude of Slavery’s Legacy Western Colonialism Causes of Underdevelopment: Western Colonialism’s Consequences Critique of Colonial Legacy Arguments Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 5 Globalization and Neocolonialism From the First Global Century to Import Substitution Causes of Underdevelopment: Dependency and Other Early Theories of Global Exploitation Critiques of Structuralism, Dependency Theory, and WST Reintegrating the Globe Causes of Underdevelopment: Newer Concerns about Globalization Critique: Defending Globalization Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 6 Foreign Aid and the Bretton Woods Institutions Foreign Aid Causes of Underdevelopment: Aid Skepticism Critique: Defending Foreign Aid and Its Record The Bretton Woods Institutions: The IMF and the World Bank Causes of Underdevelopment: Imposing Market Fundamentalism Critique: Defending the Bretton Woods Institutions Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Part III The South: Domestic Factors Chapter 7 States, Markets, and Development Models State-Led Development Causes of Underdevelopment: Failures of the State-Led Model Critique: Successes of State-Led Development Socialism Causes of Underdevelopment: Failures of Socialism Critique: Successes of Socialism The Market-Oriented Strategy Causes of Underdevelopment: Shortcomings of the Market-Oriented Strategy Critique: Successes of the Washington Consensus Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 8 Economic Institutions and Informality Property Markets and Informal Ownership Causes of Underdevelopment: The Drawbacks of Informal Ownership Critique: Is Formality Worth It? Informal Work and Informal Firms Causes of Underdevelopment: The Drawbacks of Informal Work and Firms Critique: Formalization as a False Solution Causes of Underdevelopment: The Drawbacks of Informal Finance Critique: Overselling Financial Inclusion Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 9 Political Institutions and Governance Political Regimes The Judiciary and the Bureaucracy Causes of Underdevelopment: Bad Political Institutions Critique of NIE Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 10 Culture and Identity Understanding Culture and Social Identity Causes of Underdevelopment: The Culturalist School Critique of Culturalist Claims Cultural Diversity Causes of Underdevelopment: The Costs of Cultural Diversity Critique: Defending Diversity Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 11 Gender Inequality Female Disempowerment Causes of Underdevelopment: Disempowered Women and Girls Critiques of the Instrumentalist View Female Health, Physical Security, and Fertility Causes of Underdevelopment: High Fertility Critique: Doubting the Costs of High Fertility Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 12 Violence and State Failure Political Violence and State Failure Causes of Underdevelopment: War as Development in Reverse Critique: Rethinking the Costs of Political Violence Community Violence Causes of Underdevelopment: The Toll of Community Violence Critique: Putting the Costs of Community Violence in Perspective Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Part IV The Natural World: Physical Geography Chapter 13 Geography and Development Geographical Commonalities of the Developing World Causes of Underdevelopment: Physical Geography and Climate Critique: Geographical Determinism? The Resource Curse Causes of Underdevelopment: Subsoil Assets Critique: A Resource Blessing? Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Chapter 14 Environmental Change and Development Communal Environmental Problems Causes of Underdevelopment: A Malthusian Trap? Critique: Recent History versus Neo-Malthusianism Climate Change Causes of Underdevelopment: The Burden of Climate Change Critique: An Exaggerated Threat to Development? Key Terms Active Learning Exercises Data and Web Resources Appendix: Country Codes Notes Glossary Index

About the Author :
Andy Baker is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Program on International Development in the Institute of Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. He conducts research on Latin American politics, mass political behavior, and international political economy. His articles on these topics have appeared in American Journal of Political Science, American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, Latin American Research Review, World Development, World Politics, and other journals. He is also the author of two books on public opinion and voting in Latin America: Persuasive Peers: Social Communication and Voting in Latin America (2020, Princeton University Press, co-authored with Barry Ames and Lúcio Renno) and The Market and the Masses in Latin America: Policy Reform and Consumption in Liberalizing Economies (2009, Cambridge University Press) and. Andy lives with his wife and daughter in Boulder, Colorado.

Review :
"Shaping the Developing World is the best text I′ve found for introductory courses in international development. It is well-balanced and accessible for all learners." "An excellent and balanced introduction to the politics of the developing world that helps explain competing theories in clear detail."