An introduction to the political economy of development. The course asks why are some countries are rich and others poor. To help answer this question, the course examines leading theories of economic development. In light of these theories,the course highlights the development experiences of three major regions of the world: the West, East Asia, and the former Communist Block. The course considers a series of issues about development, including the effect of ethnic diversity, corruption, natural resources and women’s empowerment on economic development concluding with an examination of the effects of the international interactions–via trade, foreign aid, migration and war–on economic development.