Dependency Theory “Teaching Dependency Theory in the Global South: Experiences in Brazil and Bolivia”

This chapter outlines an approach to teaching Dependency Theory based on experiences in two countries in the Global South. It is the result of six years of experience teaching Dependency Theory (DT) and its connections with the international development in Brazil and Bolivia. The experience shows that there is a fruitful interest among students in Brazil and Bolivia in reflecting on the role of their countries’ international dependence, as well as the limitations of structural theories. Furthermore, the debates presented by DT and its critics helps students understand important issues currently discussed in IR, such as global inequality, poverty, hunger, sustainability, and migration. Also, the role that this generation gives to individual and community agency is noteworthy, and is seen by them as a topic that theory should explore more.