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Burnell & Randall: Politics in the Developing World 2e

Introduction

  1. Are there any specific geopolitical regions within the developing world whose politics require a distinctive explanation?

  2. What features of politics in the developing world most closely resemble politics in the advanced industrial societies?

  3. What features of politics in the advanced industrial societies most closely resemble politics in the developing world?

  4. Was the concept of a 'third world' meaningful at any time and does it have value in contemporary politics?

  5. How can knowledge of the relations among states enhance our understanding of politics inside the states of the developing world?

  6. If you had to classify the countries of the developing world into discrete, identifiable categories based on criteria other than geographical location how would you approach the task and what would be your conclusions?

  7. Which countries should be included in the developing world, and why?

  8. What is meant by 'autonomy' of the political and is there any reason to expect the political sphere to be less autonomous in developing than in developed countries?

  9. Are globalization's political consequences for the developing world fundamentally different to its consequences for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development states?

  10. 'The modern equivalent of what used to be called 'third world solidarity' needs something to collectively oppose'. Do charges of US imperialism provide that need, and if not, is there some effective alternative?

  11. How do you distinguish between politics in the developing countries and the politics of development?

  12. Which is more important for understanding politics in the developing world today, China's economic and political relations with developing countries or China's own model of development?

  13. Should the developing world have permanent representation in the United Nations Security Council, and if so, how could it be organised?

  14. 'It is easy to distinguish the developing from the developed world: the former has far more corruption, instability, bad governance, and political violence'. Discuss.

  15. How far does the United Nations Development Programme's idea of human development illuminate the aims and objectives that developing country political actors pursue?

  16. What major political themes or issues are not adequately represented in the book Politics in the Developing World and why do you think their inclusion should be viewed as essential?

  17. Should the academic study of politics in the developing world seek to accentuate the more positive features when popular media coverage seems to emphasise the more negative features?

  18. What should we understand as 'the political'? Is there an understanding of 'the political' which applies to developing countries as well as to developed countries?

  19. Which regions or countries ought to be included in the category of the 'developing world', and why?

  20. To what extent does the concept of a 'developing world' avoid the pejorative connotations of the 'Third World'?