Session Title:

The Geography of Development and the World Development Report 2009: ‘Reshaping Economic Geography’

Session Affiliation:

Developing Areas Research Group

Session Organiser(s):

Emma Mawdsley (Cambridge University) 

Katherine Gough (Copenhagen University, Denmark) 

Jonathan Rigg (Durham University)

Session Abstract:

The World Development Reports are the World Bank’s flagship annual publication. Their themes, analyses and arguments both reflect and shape mainstream theories of development. The 2009 WDR, which was launched in November 2008, draws on the ideas and assumptions associated with ‘new economic geography’ to examine trends and dynamics in the geographical concentration of economic activities, and their impacts on development. Density, Distance and Division are set up as three cross-cutting themes, with growing cities, increasingly mobile people, and more specialised products seen as being essential for economic success. The core argument concerns the desirability of economic concentration, with recognition of the policy challenge presented by areas and regions left behind. As with previous WDRs, the report sets out a number of prescriptions based on its analyses.

The session will be start with a very brief overview of the main features and arguments of the 2009 WDR. Thereafter it will constitute a panel session with each panel member commenting on a particular part of the report – then opening up the discussion to the floor

Session: 1

Panel discussion

Panellist(s):

Mike Bradshaw (University of Leicester)

Jim Murphy (Clark University, USA)

Emma Mawdsley (Cambridge University)

Katherine Gough (University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

Jonathan Rigg (Durham University)

Session Abstract:

The World Development Reports are the World Bank's flagship annual

publication. Their themes, analyses and arguments both reflect and shape mainstream theories of development. The 2009 WDR, which was launched in November 2008, draws on the ideas and assumptions associated with 'new economic geography' to examine trends and dynamics in the geographical concentration of economic activities, and their impacts on development.

Density, Distance and Division are set up as three cross-cutting themes, with growing cities, increasingly mobile people, and more specialised products seen as being essential for economic success. The core argument concerns the desirability of economic concentration, with recognition of the policy challenge presented by areas and regions left behind. As with previous WDRs, the report sets out a number of prescriptions based on its analyses.