Heimler 7.5 Theories of Development

This assignment focuses on assessing your understanding of key theories of development in human geography, specifically Rostow’s Stages of Economic Growth, Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory, Dependency Theory, and Commodity Dependence. You will be asked to explain these theories, discuss their implications, and provide real-world examples where applicable.

Identify and describe one strength and one limitation of Rostow’s Stages of Economic Growth model.

Define Wallerstein’s core-periphery structure and give one real-world example of a core country and a peripheral country.

Explain how Dependency Theory accounts for the economic disparities between core and peripheral countries.

Describe how commodity dependence can impact the economic development of a country, using a specific example to illustrate your point.

Compare how Rostow’s Stages of Economic Growth and Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory explain spatial variations in development.