Synopses & Reviews
Review
"The second edition of
Theories of Development lives up to its ambitious title, as did its predecessor. Packed with ideas and arguments, much of the text has been recast and updated, for example, its prescient (in light of the present global crisis) critique of neoliberalism. This is a scholarly and well-referenced book that is an ideal text for upper-level undergraduate and graduate programs in international and development studies, geography, and other social sciences focusing on social change. Beginning doctoral students will find the book useful for situating their own research in a wider context of social theory."--Piers Blaikie, PhD, Professor Emeritus, School of Development Studies, University of East Anglia, UK
"Development is contentious, and contentions over theories and practices of development are unlikely to end soon. Peet and Hartwick do not mince words as they offer a provocative critique of conventional, poststructuralist, and postdevelopmentalist theories. Their critical modernist perspective refuses to abandon hope for a better society through truly democratic development. In the second edition, crucial connections between theory and practice are highlighted by expanded attention to neoliberalism and the Millennium Development Goals, and to the experience of development under socialism in the USSR, Cuba, and now Venezuela. This is an excellent, thought-provoking text for graduate or advanced undergraduate classes on development and globalization. It is sure to be a resource that students will return to again and again as a guide to the theoretical and historical origins of current debates."--Paul K. Gellert, PhD, Department of Sociology, University of Tennessee
"This second edition offers more detailed discussions of differences within the schools of thought, and also shows how theories are translated into policies--and the consequences for people around the globe. The most recent issues and debates are included. This book's contending-perspectives approach to theoretical analysis, the authors' honesty about their own point of view, and their skill in placing development ideas in historical context make it important reading for anyone interested in economic development and North-South relations. It will enable students to compare and contrast schools of thought, understand theories' relationships to one another, and trace the evolution of contemporary development concepts."--Christine A. Kearney, PhD, Department of Politics, Saint Anselm College
Review
"
Theories of Development, Third Edition, is as far reaching, widely referenced, and penetrating as its predecessors. The book has been updated with the work of Piketty, Ferguson, Escobar, and others, as well as strengthened argumentation throughout. Perhaps it is ironic to say this book has kept pace with global crisis. This is an ideal text for upper-level undergraduate and graduate programs in geography, international and development studies, and other social sciences focusing on social change. Beginning doctoral students will find the book useful for situating their own research in a wider context of social theory."--Piers Blaikie, PhD, Professor Emeritus, School of International Development, University of East Anglia, United Kingdom
“Comprehensive, critical and accessible. This is the ideal text for graduate seminars and advanced undergraduate courses on development, in the fields of geography, development studies, sociology, political economy and (it is to be hoped!) economics. I have used earlier editions of this text in my graduate seminars for years. The third edition has been thoroughly revised and updated and includes critical assessments of many current debates. I look forward to using this book in classes and recommending it as a go-to reference.”--Tom Perreault, PhD, Department of Geography, Syracuse University
Synopsis
Widely adopted, this text critically evaluates the leading theories of international economic development, from classical economic and sociological models to Marxist, poststructuralist, and feminist perspectives. No other book provides such comprehensive coverage or links the theories as incisively to contemporary world events and policy debates. Reexamining neoliberal conceptions of economic growth, the authors show what a more just and democratic form of development might look like today.
Synopsis
This widely adopted text starts with the fundamentals--what is economic growth, what is development, and what is the relationship between these two concepts? The authors examine orthodox theories of growth grounded in different schools of economics (classical, neoclassical, Keynesian, neoliberal) before considering critical alternatives (Marxist, socialist, poststructuralist, and feminist). The book elucidates the basic ideas that underpin contemporary controversies and debates surrounding economic growth, environmental crisis, and global inequality. It highlights points of contention among the various theories, links them to historical and current world events, and works toward envisioning a form of development that makes life better for all.
New to This Edition
*Reflects the latest data and global development trends, such as the effects on economies of extreme weather events and climate change.
*New discussions throughout the chapters, including the work of Thomas Piketty, Richard Florida, William Easterly, Niall Ferguson, and Arturo Escobar.
*Responds to current crises, including the global financial meltdown and its consequences and the rise of finance capitalism.
About the Author
Richard Peet, PhD, is Professor of Geography at Clark University, where he was a founding member of the “radical geography movement” and long-time editor of
Antipode: A Radical Journal of Geography. His interests include development, global policy regimes, power, theory and philosophy, political ecology, and finance capitalism. The author of numerous books, articles, and book reviews, Dr. Peet is editor of the radical journal
Human Geography.
Elaine Hartwick, PhD, is Professor of Geography at Framingham State University, Massachusetts, where she teaches courses in political, cultural, and regional geography and global development. She has published on commodity chains, consumer politics, social theory and development geography, with a regional specialization on Southern Africa.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Growth versus Development
I. Conventional Theories of Development
2. Classical and Neoclassical Economics
3. From Keynesian Economics to Neoliberalism
4. Development as Modernization
II. Nonconventional, Critical Theories of Development
5. Marxism, Socialism, and Development
6. Poststructuralism, Postcolonialism, and Postdevelopmentalism
7. Feminist Theories of Development
III. Critical Modernism
8. Critical Modernism and Democratic Development