About the course

This module adopts a critical perspective to explore the micro-foundations of local economic development in the Global South embedded in a globalised economy with a special focus on multi-level actors and their agency as changemakers. It delves into the determinants, consequences, and power dynamics underlying the behaviour, strategies, and decisions of key economic players on the global, regional, national and local level. These actors encompass a diverse spectrum, including local firms of varying sizes, multinational enterprises, government bodies, international organisations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society and local communities with a range of degrees of formality and informality. The course will interactively tackle the following, non-exhaustive, set of questions:

How can we critically engage with the concept and implementation of LED in diverse places of the Global South, especially given our contemporary capitalist global economy?

Which are the central and marginal actors in LED? 

What are major bottlenecks and pitfalls in designing and implementing LED strategies successfully?