Politics and Society in the Developing World

Eighty per cent of the world's population lives in the developing world. This book presents a look at this world, its varied political institutions and the key social, economic and environmental issues at the heart of contemporary debates. In a world seemingly surfing a wave of unprecedented affluence it is sobering to be reminded that only thirty out of nearly two hundred countries can really be classified as advanced industrialized countries. Eighty per cent of the world's population lives in the developing world. In this popular, concise introduction the authors take a clear-eyed look at this world, its varied political institutions and the key social, economic and environmental issues at the heart of contemporary debates. Wide-ranging and clearly written, Politics and Society in the Developing World provides first a brisk survey of the major theoretical and methodological interpretations of the social impact of development. The authors then detail the factors which determine the parameters of the developing world before moving on to examine: its infrastructure the crises currently facing it the social and economic contexts of developing societies the international arena and its impact on the developing world state-building and the tension between dictatorship and democratization four policy areas: aid, trade, tourism and the environment The thought-provoking conclusion summarizes key issues in development studies today - such as the radicalization of the Middle East and the decline of Africa - and invites us to understand why, despite so many well-meaning initiatives, the gap between rich and poor continues to grow. The book is packed with case studies drawn from Asia, Africa and Latin America and supported by a new feature, The View from the Ground, which presents newspaper and other eye-witness accounts relevant to the issues under discussion. This new edition of Politics and Society in the Developing World continues where its predecessor left off and will be required reading for students of development studies, and for courses on the economics, sociology and politics of development. Peter Calvert is Emeritus Professor of Comparative and International Politics at the University of Southampton. Susan Calvert was formerly a Lecturer at Itchen College, Southampton and a Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of Politics at the University of Southampton.

This book is a completely revised edition of the popular first edition, Politics & Society in the Third World. The author has bought the book in line with the major changes in global politics and social issues of the developing world. This book is a welcome new edition, which completely updates and revises the very popular first edition, Politics and Society in the Third World. Mehran Kamrava has brought the book in line with the major changes in global politics, and the politics and social issues of the developing world.The book examines key issues such as democratisation: civil society organisations and NGOs, 'political society', state collapse, democratic bargains and transition, consolidation and problems of legitimacy, elections, multi-party politics; industrial development; dependency theory and globalisation; the roles of the IMF and the World Bank, the GATT and other multinational institutions; urbanisation; social change; the increasing influence of western values, capital and institutions; urbanisation; social change; the increasing influence of western values, capital and institutions; political culture: its role and impact in newly democratic developing countries; revolution; and gives more examples from Africa, East Asia and rural societies.