Challenges of the Developing World

Howard Handelman was professor emeritus of political science at the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee. He specialized in the politics of developing nations, especially Latin America.Rex Brynen is professor of political science at McGill University, where he specializes in Middle East politics, peacebuilding, and humanitarian operations.

Challenges of the Developing World is a highly remarkable text. It is what students of development have been waiting for – a thoughtful, comprehensive, critical, and engaging study of issues and challenges in the developing world. In the end, this well-documented, elegantly written, and thought-provoking text is a wonderful introduction to the field.

• 1. Understanding Underdevelopment Developing World Commonalities: The Nature of UnderdevelopmentThe Causes of Underdevelopment 2. The Political Economy of the Developing WorldThe Role of the StateTrade and Industrialization Strategies Growth with EquityEconomic Development and the Environment The Search for Sustainable Development Finding the Right MixThe Effects of Globalization on the Developing World3. The Surge and Partial Retreat of DemocracyDemocracy Defined Democratic Transition and Consolidation Authoritarian Beginnings The Third Wave and Its Effect on the Developing World International Causes and Consequences of the Third Wave Prerequisites of Democracy?Democratic Consolidation Explained How Do Democracies Perform? Public Policy Compared Improving the Quality of Democracy 4. Corruption as an Obstacle to DevelopmentDefinition and Types of Corruption The Costs of Corruption The Causes of Corruption Combating Corruption 5. Religion and PoliticsReligion in the Developing World Religion, Modernity, and Secularization The Future of Religion and Politics in the Developing World 6. Politics of Cultural Pluralism and Ethnic Conflict Defining Ethnicity Ethnic and State Boundaries Types of Ethnic and Cultural Divisions Dependency, Modernization, and Ethnic Conflict Levels of Interethnic Conflict Outcomes and Resolutions Ethnic Pluralism and Democracy 7. Gender and DevelopmentThe Status of Women in the Developing World Gender and Politics Modernization and the Status of Women Gender and Democracy 8. The Politics of the Rural and Urban PoorThe Rural Poor: The Peasantry in the Developing World Rural Class Structures Peasant Politics The Politics of Agrarian Reform The Future of the Rural Poor Rapid Urbanization and the Politics of the Urban Poor The Developing World’s Urban Explosion The Social and Political Consequence of Urban Growth The Politics of the Urban Poor: Conflicting Images Forms of Political Expression Among the Urban Poor The Role of the Rural and Urban Poor in Democratic Change 9. Revolutionary ChangeDefining Revolution Underlying Causes of Revolution Levels of Popular Support Peasants as Revolutionaries Revolutionary Leadership Revolutionaries in Power Revolutionary Change and Democracy 10. Soldiers and Politics The Causes of Military Interventions Progressive Soldiers and Military Conservatives The Types and Goals of Military Regimes The Accomplishments and Failures of Military Regimes Military Withdrawal from Politics The Military as a Deciding Factor in the Arab Spring New Roles for the Armed Forces Democracy and the Military