Political Institutions and Development challenges the cliche that 'good institutions' are essential for sustainable socio-economic development by focusing on the need to adapt potential solutions to local conditions. The authors argue that there is no one optimal institutional design that can be successfully applied to any country. The macro- and micro-level studies contained in this book demonstrate that institutions are highly context-dependent and time-sensitive and must be tailored to local conditions. Specifically, law and order, effective governance, ethnic sensitivity, a supporting political culture, civil rights, and individual opportunities to participate in decision-making are also necessary. With its global perspective, this book explores the relationship between political institutions and development from such diverse regions as the Commonwealth of Independent States, East and South Asia, and Latin America. This book will appeal to scholars and researchers in political science, economics, political economy, development studies and globalization. It will also find a wider audience amongst policymakers, development agencies and policy communities throughout the world.

China, India and Beyond challenges the widespread belief that China and India will be the driving forces of the global economy in the 21st century. Scholars of these two countries offer scenarios ranging from buoyant to subdued to negative, depending on how they evaluate the drivers of development (market-oriented reforms, global integration and investment in human capital), and its limitations (infrastructure bottlenecks, environmental degradation and institutional frailties). The book covers a broad set of topics, including international trade and investment, health care and grassroots democracy. Readers from all countries will benefit from this cogent analysis of the delicate balance among the various ingredients of successful development versus failure. This timely book will appeal to political scientists, economists and other social scientists conducting research and teaching courses in political economy, development studies, globalization and public policy. Policy-oriented researchers and policymakers will also find this study an important resource.

While many countries may embrace globalization at the conceptual level, the specifics of implementation vary greatly from country to country. Testing Global Interdependence poses such questions as: How is openness exercised? How does a country join the international globalization trend? What mechanisms are available to help societies adjust to globalization? The book draws upon the diverse experiences of multiple countries as they react to the practicalities of globalization and succeeds in discovering the gains resulting from particular trade policies, anti-poverty measures, migration patterns and foreign aid packages. The diverse narratives contained within the book ultimately suggest how to limit globalization's negative aspects and ensure constructive engagement in the global community. This, the first book in the Global Development Network series, brings together the views of researchers from the developing and developed world and provides models of successful research conducted in developing and transition countries. This study will appeal to academics and researchers in political economy, development studies, international economics, migration and globalization as well as public policy. In addressing policy implications, the work will also be of great value to policy-oriented researchers, policymakers and development agencies worldwide.