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

Why are some countries rich and others poor? Shaping the Developing World: The West, the South, and the Natural World, by Andy Baker, attempts to answer this thorny question using a threefold framework to categorize and analyze the factors that cause underdevelopment--from the consequences of colonialism, deficient domestic institutions, and gender inequality to the effects of globalization, geography, and environmental degradation. Country case studies at the end of chapters offer an ideal testing ground for the threefold framework, as they apply empirical data to the various explanations. Critical thinking questions then encourage students to weigh the different theoretical arguments. A series of well-designed features develop students' understanding of indicators of development concepts and highlight various kinds of aid organizations and opportunities for development work in the field. Shaping the Developing World presents high-quality academic analysis in a format that is both engaging and informative.

About the Author :
Andy Baker is Associate Professor of Political Science and Faculty Associate in the Institute of Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. He teaches courses on comparative politics, political economy, global development, and African and Latin American politics. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001. Andy conducts research on Latin American politics, international political economy, and mass political behavior. In 2009, he published a book with Cambridge University Press, entitled The Market and the Masses in Latin America: Policy Reform and Consumption in Liberalizing Economies, on the nature and causes of citizens' attitudes toward free-market policies in 18 Latin American nations. Andy has also published articles in American Journal of Political Science, World Politics, Latin American Research Review, and Electoral Studies. His current research projects focus on the Latin American Left, public opinion toward foreign aid in donor countries, and the impact of globalization on economic insecurity in the developing world.