The Institutions Curse

Victor Menaldo is an associate professor of Political Science at the University of Washington and an affiliated faculty of the Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences, Near and Middle Eastern Studies, and the Center for Environmental Politics. He has published, or has forthcoming articles in, the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, the British Journal of Political Science, the Annual Review of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, World Politics, Comparative Politics, International Studies Quarterly, Economics and Politics, Political Science Quarterly, and Policy Sciences. He has also penned op-eds in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, USA Today, Foreign Policy, and the Seattle Times.

• 1. Introduction; 2. Three puzzles and some building blocks; 3. Intellectual heritage of the institutions curse view; 4. The institutions curse; 5. Not manna from heaven after all: the endogeneity of oil; 6. The resource blessing; 7. Whither the Arab Spring?; 8. Conclusions.

'This book explores the role of natural resources, especially oil, in the development of countries. … A wide geographic area is covered, including but not limited to North America, Europe and the Middle East. … The author argues that political institutions, not resource endowment, are the basis for differences in development. … It adds to the literature on the role of natural resources, institutions, and development. Footnotes and references. … Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.' J. E. Weaver, Choice