Darrin P. McDonald

Research

Title of Research:

Understanding Socioeconomic Disparities Through Political Conditions and Institutions: A Comparative Study of Equatorial Africa

Brief overview of research topic:

I compare the states to arise from French Equatorial Africa (Gabon, Rep. of Congo (Brazzaville), Chad, and Central African Republic), to investigate the role played by instability and related political conditions on institutional, infrastructural, and socio-economic development.  Given the immense disparities that have evolved amongst these four cases since gaining independence and their intricately shared histories and initial conditions, they provide an opportunity to contribute to an understanding of how developmental disparities arise amongst highly-similar developing countries; the impact of instability, conflict, and political conditions on the development process; and the importance of effective, legitimate institutions to ensuring developmental success.