The underdevelopment of development : for Andre Gunder Frank and beyond

Taking stock of political and economic development in the world today, this book re-examines development in an era of rapid social change, and reflects the work of an intellectual giant, Andre Gunder Frank. Gunder Frank deconstructed conventional development economics and modernization theory, creating dependency theory. Today dependency theory has been replaced by world systems analysis - the view that national and regional economic (and political) development cannot be seen in isolation; states are part of a global economy that, in a sense, dictates and limits action.

This is an excellent synthesizing volume on the state of development studies. Although a great part of its purpose is to pay tribute to its intellectual father, the book presents a clear, logical and organized view of world systems analysis.