Development Economics
Theory and practice

Development Economics: theory and Practice provides students and practitioners with the perspectives and the tools they need to think analytically and critically about the current major economic development issues in the world.

Alain de Janvry and Elisabeth Sadoulet identify seven key dimensions of development; growth, poverty, vulnerability, inequality, basic needs, sustainability, and quality of life, and use them to structure the contents of the text. This book gives a historical perspective on the evolution of thought in development. It uses theory and empirical analysis to present readers with a full picture of how development works, how its successes and failures can be assessed, and how alternatives can be introduced. The authors demonstrate how diagnostics, design of programs and policies, and impact evaluation can be used to seek new solutions to the suffering and violence caused by development failures. This text is fully engaged with the most cutting edge research in the field, and equips readers with analytical tools for the impact evaluation of development programs and policies, illustrated with numerous examples. It is underpinned throughout by a wealth of student-friendly features including case studies, quantitative problem sets, end-of-chapter questions, and extensive references.

This unique text aims at helping readers learn about development, think analytically about achievements and alternative options, and be prepared to compete on the development job market.

Introduction 1. What is development? Indicators and issues 2. State of development 3. History of thought in development economics 4. Impact evaluation of development policies and programs 5. Poverty and vulnerability assessment 6. Inequality and inequity 7. International trade and industrialization strategies 8. Explaining economic growth, the macro level 9. Endogenous economic growth 10. International finance and development 11. Population and development 12. Labor and migration 13. Financial services for the poor 14. Social assistance programs and targeting 15. Sustainable development and the environment 16. Common property resources and determinants of cooperation 17. Human capital: education and health 18. Agriculture for development 19. Development aid and its effectiveness 20. Institutional innovations and development 21. Political economy and the role of the state 22. The economics of farm households

Alain de Janvry is Professor at the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California,  Berkeley, USA.

Elisabeth Sadoulet is Professor and Research Economist at the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Berkeley, USA.