Political Economy of Development

This subject considers processes of development through a political economic perspective. The subject begins by considering the historical roots of political economy, and then focuses on key theoretical debates in the field. It then moves on to consider several contemporary development issues, highlighting the ways in which political economic analysis provides new, critical insight. Key topics to be considered include the following: wealth and inequality; feminist and queer critiques; labour and exploitation; political ecology and natural resources; the limitations of social policy; green and carbon economies; surplus and waste; the effects of globalisation and migration; sustainability and diverse economies. By the end of this subject, students should have a clear understanding for what political economic analysis adds to debates over contemporary development.