GV225-5-AU-CO:
International Economic Development

The details
2025/26
Government
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 12 December 2025
15
14 April 2025

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

BA L900 International Development,
BA L2CS Social Sciences,
BA L2ES Social Sciences

Module description

The aims of this module are to study and compare the economic development of states and state-society relations in non-western countries in the context of an increasingly globalized world. The module will play special attention to the development of the state, its role in economic development, and whether or not it can still have a large influence on the structure and dynamics of society given the pressures of globalization. 


State-society relations are also of fundamental importance to an understanding of development and, in particular, to the understanding of the processes of modernization which have led to a partitioning of the world into the so-called ‘developed’, ‘developing’ and ‘under-developed’ countries. Among other things, the focus will be on the influence of colonialism, international institutions and foreign aid on the development-democracy nexus.


In the first half of the module, the class will provide an overview of contemporary development theories and the key issues that developing countries face. It will critically examine the different ways of thinking about the Developing World and explore the various perspectives on economic development. The module will explore the effects of globalization on states in the development work. The goal is also to better understand the political underpinnings of economic growth and development, as well as the effects of development on democratization.


The second half of the module will introduce the major theories that focus on the different paths to economic development, state-society relations and the distribution of power. The module will then apply these theories to cases in the non-Western world such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile and examine the effects of globalization on their economic development.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:



  • Analyse political and other sources of economic development

  • Improve conceptual understanding of meaning of development

  • Shed light on effects of economic development and domestic institutions, modernization.

  • Strengthen important analytic skills

  • To gain an awareness of the drivers of economic growth and dysfunction in some of the major economies in the world

  • To gain an awareness of the drivers and impacts of economic crises

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Demonstrate an awareness of globalization – and its various economic, social and political impacts

  2. Demonstrate an awareness of the main sources and drivers of economic development

  3. Analyse the theories that explain economic development, poverty, inequality and economic crises

  4. Identify and explain the key concepts of economic development and the impact of state society relations on economic growth and development

  5. Demonstrate  knowledge of the impact of international financial institutions and the Washington Consensus

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

  • 2 hour seminars

Bibliography*

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Martin Steinwand, email: martin.steinwand@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Martin Steinwand
Module Supervisor: Dr M Steinwand - ms17779@essex.ac.uk / Module Administrator: Jasini Hobbs - govquery@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
Yes
Yes
No

External examiner

Dr Stefano Pagliari
City, University of London
Senior Lecturer in International Politics
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 20 hours, 20 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).

 

Further information
Government

* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.

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