DEVE 3001 SNDS

Development Economics in West Africa: Theory, Practice, and ChallengesThe

course is intended to help students deepen their understanding of the implicit and/or
explicit theories of Development Economics within the two dimensions of the
foundational analyses of under-development and strategies of development. It focuses
on the situation of Africa and examines its development problems. Since the 1970s, the
African continent has experienced growing financial inequalities, increases in its
international debt, as well as stagnation, and even a decline in its systems of production.
We will address the crisis of development which manifested itself in:
The existence and perpetuation of an agricultural crisis in a continent experiencing
endemic food shortages and insecurity
The foreign debt crisis and the failure of industrial enterprises between 1960 and 1970
The increase in urbanization and population growth that accentuate macroeconomic
inequalities, while simultaneously resulting in new social relationships
The course will challenge perceptions of development by breaking from old schools of
thought and visiting the concept of under-development with a fresh perspective. At the
end of the semester, students will be able to generate informed arguments about the
recent debates on economic and social development in Africa.