An exploration of how states address the often conflicting challenges of development, order, and inclusion.

How did Western imperialism shape the developing world? In Imperialism and the Developing World, Atul Kohli tackles this question by analyzing British and American influence on Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America from the age of the British East India Company to the most recent U.S. war in Iraq. He argues that both Britain and the U.S. expanded to enhance their national economic prosperity, and shows how Anglo-American expansionism hurt economic development in poor parts of the world. To clarify the causes and consequences of modern imperialism, Kohli first explains that there are two kinds of empires and analyzes the dynamics of both. Imperialism can refer to a formal, colonial empire such as Britain in the 19th century or an informal empire, wielding significant influence but not territorial control, such as the U.S. in the 20th century. Kohli contends that both have repeatedly undermined the prospects of steady economic progress in the global periphery, though to different degrees. Time and again, the pursuit of their own national economic prosperity led Britain and the U.S. to expand into peripheral areas of the world. Limiting the sovereignty of other states-and poor and weak states on the periphery in particular-was the main method of imperialism. For the British and American empires, this tactic ensured that peripheral economies would stay open and accessible to Anglo-American economic interests. Loss of sovereignty, however, greatly hurt the life chances of people living in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. As Kohli lays bare, sovereignty is an economic asset; it is a precondition for the emergence of states that can foster prosperous and inclusive industrial societies.

Over the past several decades, civil and ethnic wars have undermined prospects for economic and political development, destabilized entire regions of the globe, and left millions dead. States, Scarcity, and Civil Strife in the Developing World argues that demographic and environmental stress--the interactions among rapid population growth, environmental degradation, inequality, and emerging scarcities of vital natural resources--represents one important source of turmoil in today's world. Kahl contends that this type of stress places enormous strains on both societies and governments in poor countries, increasing their vulnerability to armed conflict. He identifies two pathways whereby this process unfolds: state failure and state exploitation. State failure conflicts occur when population growth, environmental degradation, and resource inequality weaken the capacity, legitimacy, and cohesion of governments, thereby expanding the opportunities and incentives for rebellion and intergroup violence. State exploitation conflicts, in contrast, occur when political leaders themselves capitalize on the opportunities arising from population pressures, natural resource scarcities, and related social grievances to instigate violence that serves their parochial interests. Drawing on a wide array of social science theory, this book argues that demographically and environmentally induced conflicts are most likely to occur in countries that are deeply split along ethnic, religious, regional, or class lines, and which have highly exclusive and discriminatory political systems. The empirical portion of the book evaluates the theoretical argument through in-depth case studies of civil strife in the Philippines, Kenya, and numerous other countries. The book concludes with an analysis of the challenges demographic and environmental change will pose to international security in the decades ahead.

Nation-states in the developing world have seen a renaissance in their political, social, and economic structures. Newly industrializing countries like Brazil, Mexico, China, and India are poised to claim the 21st century as their own. But economic conditions in many nations of the developing world still leave much to be desired, especially with respect to its marginalized citizens, whose incomes are often less than two dollars a day. Scholars continue to ask what academics, political actors, economic entrepreneurs, and others—committed to tackling the bane of underdevelopment in the developing world—can do to improve the plight of these nations’ destitute populations. The Developing World: Critical Issues in Politics and Society explores the challenges presented by political, cultural, religious, social, and economic practices to the future development of these nation-states. The essays gathered here—written by seasoned scholars with deep social, political, and academic roots in Africa, Asia, and Latin America—explain how improvements in politics, social arrangements, and information communication technologies contribute to the effectiveness of emerging nations’ internal politics and their influence on world affairs. Individual essays consider such key issues as how to develop more efficiently the processes of liberal democratization how to apply more uniformly the law enforcement policies of governments to all citizens in a society how the marginalization of women hampers national development how the political development of Mexico as a “linguistic regional power” has influenced the rest of Central America how development and protection of the environment are linked how an effective application of information communication technologies can enhance the quality of education and boost growth at all levels in a polity This work will interest scholars focused on the developing world, social and public policy, international politics, and social and political theory.

This textbook deals with the central political themes and issues in the developing world, such as globalization, inequality, and democracy. Leading experts in the field provide up-to-date and systematic coverage. The book is accompanied by an Online Resource Centre.Student resources:Three additional case studies, including one on ChinaWeb links from the bookFlashcard glossary

The fourth, thoroughly updated, edition of this well-respected textbook explores the changing nature of politics in the developing world. Leading experts in the field consider theoretical approaches, society-state relations, and policies, with a series of illustrative country-based case studies.

A RUSA 2007 Outstanding Reference Title The Encyclopedia of the Developing World is a comprehensive work on the historical and current status of developing countries. Containing more than 750 entries, the Encyclopedia encompasses primarily the years since 1945 and defines development broadly, addressing not only economics but also civil society and social progress. Entries cover the most important theories and measurements of development; relate historical events, movements, and concepts to development both internationally and regionally where applicable; examine the contributions of the most important persons and organizations; and detail the progress made within geographic regions and by individual countries.