Synopsis
For undergraduate-level courses in Third World Politics, Comparative Politics, Developing World courses in Political Science, and regional courses on Asia or Latin America. This text explores political, economic, and social issues common to diverse Third World countries. It stresses the themes of democratization, modernization, and dependency theory, examining the nature of underdevelopment. The text analyzes the major political and socio economic rifts that divide many of these nations and the efforts being made to understand and address these challenges.
Booknews
Probably intending his work as a textbook for undergraduate international relations courses, Handelman (political science, U. of Wisconsin at Milwaukee) attempts to find common themes among the experiences of the roughly 150 countries he defines as the "Third World." Topics include theories of development and underdevelopment, democratic transitions, religion and politics, cultural pluralism and ethnic conflict, gender, agrarian politics, urbanization and the urban poor, revolutionary change, military politics, and political economy. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)