AMER0009: Globalisation and Latin American Development

NOT RUNNING IN 2025/26

Module description

This module examines different theories of economic growth and development and their implications for the understanding of the Latin American economic development. In particular, this module identifies some possible explanations of the current levels of economic development in the region and explore their relationship with global economic processes.

In the first part of the module, we explore the modern theories of economic growth and development, discuss the difference between economic growth and development, and the relationship between institutions and economic development. In the second part of the module, we focus our attention on the literature on institutions and economic development. In particular, we examine the role of historical institutional legacies and modern political institutions for economic growth, development, and inequality in Latin America. We explore the basic hypothesis that the quality of economic and political institutions has a fundamental role in the explanation of the development gaps among countries in the region. In the final part of the module, we explore the links between global and domestic processes of social and economic change. We examine theories on the impact of globalization on Latin American economic development and analyse how the region has responded to challenging global transformations. In particular, we focus our attention on different facets of globalisation and their impact on economic development: migration, trans-nationalism, urban development, security, multiculturalism, and environmental factors, among others.

We offer a multidisciplinary approach to development issues, so the module is taught by a team of scholars specialising in economics, political science, sociology, anthropology, and development studies. The module convenor will lead discussion for the first part of the module, before subject area experts take over for the special topics.