Comparative Politics & Development (CP&D)

Comparative Politics and Development is a 60-hour (9 cfu) course taught between January and March. Lectures take place in Via Conservatorio on Mondays (room 27), Tuesdays (room 13) and Wednesdays (room 2) from 8.30 to 10.30.

The course aims at examining the politics of developing areas through the lenses of comparative political analysis. It draws primarily on concepts and theories used in the contemporary study of politics in advanced economies, including well-established works on the state, on political regimes, and on specific political institutions and processes. The course also adds to the above issues a more specific focus on aspects of politics that are more commonly associated with developing and emerging countries, such as authoritarian rule, civil conflicts, ethnic politics and corruption. The empirical focus is primarily on sub-Saharan Africa.

Lectures

Note: while slides and other class material constitute essential study material for the final test, the other links are mere suggestions and curiosities about different issues the course touches upon

  1. Development: key notions and issues
  2. Development: measurement
  3. Development: theories
  4. Development: aid
  5. Development in Africa: introduction
  6. Development in Africa: “growth tragedy” (1960-2000)
  7. Development in Africa: emerging Africa (2000-14)
  8. Development in Africa: current scenario (2015-26)
  9. Development in Africa – Ghana
  10. The state in Africa
  11. The state in Africa – Somalia
  12. The state in Africa – Congo
  13. Civil wars
  14. Civil wars – Ethiopia
  15. Ethnic politics
  16. Ethnic politics – Kenya
  17. Democracy and authoritarianism
  18. Democracy and authoritarianism – Nigeria
  19. Democracy and authoritarianism – South Africa
  20. Class presentations: sustainable development
  21. Class presentations: developmental state
  22. Class presentations: security-development nexus
  23. Class presentations: corruption in developing countries
  24. Class presentations: migration and development
  25. Class presentations: the European Union’s relations with Africa
  26. Class presentations: China and Africa’s development
  27. Class presentations: US foreign policy in Africa

Required readings for all students 2025-2026

Note: students attending classes may skip the readings marked in bold at the bottom of the list.

  1. Sen, Amartya, “What is development about?”, in Meier, Gerald – Stiglitz, Joseph (eds), Frontiers of Development economics. The future in perspective, Oxford University Press, 2001, pp. 506-513
  2. Whitfield, Lindsay, “An introduction to the political economy of development”, in Cheeseman, Nic – Whitfield, Lindsay – Death, Carl (eds), The African Affairs Reader. Key Texts in Politics, Development, and International Relations, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 115-127
  3. Langan, Mark, “Neo-colonialism and Nkrumah: recovering a critical concept”, in Mark Langan, Neo-colonialism and the poverty of “development” in Africa, London, Palgrave, 2018, pp.1-32
  4. Edwards, Sebastian, “Economic development and the effectiveness of foreign aid: a historical perspective”, Kiklos, 68 (3), 2015, pp. 277-316
  5. Hirsch, Alan – Lopes, Carlos, “Post-colonial African economic development in historical perspective”, Africa Development, 65 (1), 2020, pp. 31-46
  6. Akyeampong, Emmanuel – Bates, Robert – Nunn, Nathan – Robinson, James, “Africa – the historical roots of its underdevelopment”, in id. (eds), Africa’s development in historical perspective, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2014, pp. 1-28
  7. Acemoglu, Daron – Robinson, James, “Why is Africa poor?”, Economic History of Developing Regions, 25 (1), 2010, pp. 21-50
  8. Cheeseman, N., Death, C., & Whitfield, L., “An introduction to the African state”. In N. Cheeseman, L. Whitfield, & C. Death (eds.), The African Affairs Reader: Key Texts in Politics, Development and International Relations, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 15-29
  9. Herbst, Jeffrey, “The challenge of state-building in Africa”, in Herbst, Jeffrey, States and Power in Africa: Comparative Lessons in Authority and Control, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2000, pp. 11-31
  10. Jackson, Robert – Rosberg, Carl, “Why Africa’s weak states Persist: The Empirical and the Juridical in Statehood”, World Politics, 35(1), 1982, pp. 1-24
  11. Olivier de Sardan, Jean-Pierre, “A moral economy of corruption in Africa?”, Journal of Modern African Studies, 37(1), 1999, 25-52
  12. Alesina, Alberto – Devleeschauwer, Arnaud – Easterly, William – Kurlat, Sergio – Wacziarg, Romain, “Fractionalization”, Journal of Economic Growth, 8, 2003, pp. 155-194
  13. Easterly, William – Levine, Ross, “Africa’s growth tragedy: policies and ethnic divisions”, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 12(4), 1997, pp. 1203-1250
  14. Vogel, Christoph – Stearns, Jason, “Kivu’s intractable security conundrum, revisited”, African Affairs, 117 (469), 2018, pp. 695-707
  15. Cederman, Lars-Erik – Wimmer, Andreas – Min, Brian “Why do ethnic groups rebel? New data and analysis”, World Politics, 62 (1), 2010, pp. 87-119
  16. Posner, Daniel – Young, Daniel, “The institutionalization of political power in Africa”, Journal of Democracy, 18(3), 2007, pp.126-140
  17. Goldsmith, Arthur A., “Risk, rule and reason. Leadership in Africa”, Public Administration and Development, 21, 2001, pp. 77-87
  18. Harding, Robin, “Who is democracy good for? Elections, rural bias, and health and education outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa”, Journal of Politics, 82 (1), 2019, pp. 241-254
  19. Haggard, Stephan – Kaufman, Robert, “The anatomy of democratic backsliding”, Journal of Democracy, 32 (4), 2021, p. 27-41
  20. Ross, Michael, “The paradoxical wealth of nations”, in Ross, Michael, The oil curse. How petroleum wealth shapes the development of nations, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2012, pp.1-25
  21. Bermeo, Nancy, “On democratic backsliding”, Journal of Democracy, 27 (1), 2016, pp. 5-19
  22. Fortin, Jessica, “A tool to evaluate state capacity in post-communist countries, 1989-2006”, European Journal of Political Research, 49, 2010, pp. 654-686
  23. Goldsmith, Arthur A., “Predatory versus developmental rule in Africa”, Democratization, 11 (3), 2004, pp. 98-110
  24. Long, James – Gibson, Clark, “Evaluating the roles of ethnicity and performance in African elections: evidence from an exit poll in Kenya”, Political Research Quarterly, 68 (4), 2015, pp. 830-842
  25. Roessler, Philip, “The enemy within: Personal Rule, Coups, and Civil War in Africa”, World Politics, 63 (2), 2011, pp. 300-346

Required readings for all students 2024-2025

  1. Sen, Amartya, “What is development about?”, in Meier, Gerald – Stiglitz, Joseph (eds), Frontiers of Development economics. The future in perspective, Oxford University Press, 2001, pp. 506-513
  2. Whitfield, Lindsay, “An introduction to the political economy of development”, in Cheeseman, Nic – Whitfield, Lindsay – Death, Carl (eds), The African Affairs Reader. Key Texts in Politics, Development, and International Relations, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 115-127
  3. Hirsch, Alan – Lopes, Carlos, “Post-colonial African economic development in historical perspective”, Africa Development, 65 (1), 2020, pp. 31-46
  4. Akyeampong, Emmanuel – Bates, Robert – Nunn, Nathan – Robinson, James, “Africa – the historical roots of its underdevelopment”, in id. (eds), Africa’s development in historical perspective, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2014, pp. 1-28
  5. Acemoglu, Daron – Robinson, James, “Why is Africa poor?”, Economic History of Developing Regions, 25 (1), 2010, pp. 21-50
  6. Cheeseman, N., Death, C., & Whitfield, L., “An Introduction to the African State”. In N. Cheeseman, L. Whitfield, & C. Death (eds.), The African Affairs Reader: Key Texts in Politics, Development and International Relations, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 15-29
  7. Herbst, Jeffrey, “The challenge of state-building in Africa”, in Herbst, Jeffrey, States and Power in Africa: Comparative Lessons in Authority and Control, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2000, pp. 11-31
  8. Jackson, Robert – Rosberg, Carl, “Why Africa’s weak states Persist: The Empirical and the Juridical in Statehood”, World Politics, 35(1), 1982, pp. 1-24
  9. Olivier de Sardan, Jean-Pierre, “A moral economy of corruption in Africa?”, Journal of Modern African Studies, 37(1), 1999, 25-52
  10. Alesina, Alberto – Devleeschauwer, Arnaud – Easterly, William – Kurlat, Sergio – Wacziarg, Romain, “Fractionalization”, Journal of Economic Growth, 8, 2003, pp. 155-194
  11. Easterly, William – Levine, Ross, “Africa’s growth tragedy: policies and ethnic divisions”, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 12(4), 1997, pp. 1203-1250
  12. Vogel, Christoph – Stearns, Jason, “Kivu’s intractable security conundrum, revisited”, African Affairs, 117 (469), 2018, pp. 695-707
  13. Cederman, Lars-Erik – Wimmer, Andreas – Min, Brian “Why do ethnic groups rebel? New data and analysis”, World Politics, 62 (1), 2010, pp. 87-119
  14. Colgan, Jeff, “Oil, domestic conflict, and opportunities for democratization”, Journal of Peace Research, 52 (1), 2015, pp. 3-16
  15. Ross, Michael, “The paradoxical wealth of nations”, in Ross, Michael, The oil curse. How petroleum wealth shapes the development of nations, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2012, pp.1-25
  16. Svolik, Milan, “The anatomy of dictatorship”, in Svolik, Milan, The politics of authoritarian rule, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2012, pp.1-18
  17. Posner, Daniel – Young, Daniel, “The institutionalization of political power in Africa”, Journal of Democracy, 18(3), 2007, pp.126-140
  18. Goldsmith, Arthur A., “Risk, rule and reason. Leadership in Africa”, Public Administration and Development, 21, 2001, pp. 77-87
  19. Harding, Robin, “Who is democracy good for? Elections, rural bias, and health and education outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa”, Journal of Politics, 82 (1), 2019, pp. 241-254
  20. Haggard, Stephan – Kaufman, Robert, “The anatomy of democratic backsliding”, Journal of Democracy, 32 (4), 2021, p. 27-41
  21. Bermeo, Nancy, “On democratic backsliding”, Journal of Democracy, 27 (1), 2016, pp. 5-19
  22. Fortin, Jessica, “A tool to evaluate state capacity in post-communist countries, 1989-2006”, European Journal of Political Research, 49, 2010, pp. 654-686
  23. Goldsmith, Arthur A., “Predatory versus developmental rule in Africa”, Democratization, 11 (3), 2004, pp. 98-110
  24. Long, James – Gibson, Clark, “Evaluating the roles of ethnicity and performance in African elections: evidence from an exit poll in Kenya”, Political Research Quarterly, 68 (4), 2015, pp. 830-842
  25. Roessler, Philip, “The enemy within: Personal Rule, Coups, and Civil War in Africa”, World Politics, 63 (2), 2011, pp. 300-346