Objectives for student learning: Students will be able to …
1. Analyze and discuss practical implications for contemporary political issues in light of modernization
theory.
2. Solve game theoretic models related to modernization theory.
Materials: •
PowerPoint Slides
•
Handout of images from: Kashi, E. 2008. Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta. New
York: powerHouse Books.
Agenda: 1. Review Economic Determinants of Democracy Theories – Think-pair-share (10 minutes) Show students PowerPoint slide of Figure 6.2 from textbook depicting “Proportion of Democracies
at Various Levels of Wealth, 1950-1990”.
• Think: Ask students to write a minute-paper about what this figure illustrates about the rela-
tionship between wealth and democracy. Ask them to write out the variants of modernization
theory that explain this relationship as they recall them from the textbook.
• Pair: Have them pair with a neighbor to discuss their reflections.
• Share: Debrief with whole class by asking for 2-3 students to share some of the highlights of
their conversation.
2. Game Theoretic Model Illustration – Large group discussion (10 minutes) Display PowerPoint slide of Figure 6.8 from text, which illustrates an extensive form game between
the state and the citizen. Solve the game together as a class. Discuss the following: Given the Nash
Equilibrium solution to this game, what can we conclude about the relationship between wealth and
democracy?
3. Case Study Discussion – Large group discussion (5 minutes) Show PowerPoint slide of the book jacket image from the novel “Les Miserables.” Ask class the fol-
lowing discussion questions:
•
What did the text argue was the key difference between England and France in the 17th Century? How
does this case study relate to modernization theory?
