CDAE/POLS 195 EVOLVING TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (Syllabus #1)

CDAE/POLS 195 EVOLVING TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(Syllabus #1)
Edward R. McMahon
Adjunct Associate Professor
Department of Community Development and Applied Economics
Department of Political Science
University of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Voice: (802) 656-4565
Email: [email protected]
Web info: http://www.uvm.edu/cdae/people/bio.php?id=49
Fall 2014
Time: Tuesdays, Thursdays 4:00-5:15 P.M.
Office Hours/Location: By appointment, Morrill 205D
Class Location: Lafayette 100
1.
Course Background and Description
What is meant by the term “international development”? One definition is “The improvement of
living standards in societies around the world”. But this gives rise to many subsidiary queries:
How do we define terms such as “improvement” and “living standards”? How effective is
international development? How much does it cost? Have there been different types of
international development at different times? To what extent has the international community
sought to promote and facilitate development? How successful have efforts at development
been? Do different parts of the world have different needs in terms of development? Who are
the “winners” in the process of development?” Are there losers?
These themes lead to a variety of opinions and ongoing controversies. We will seek to take a
balanced approach as we consider these questions. We will especially reflect on shifts in postWorld War Two international relations, and consider topics such as health, agriculture, conflict
resolution, democracy and governance, shifting terms of trade and the effects of globalization on
international development. The final chapter of this story is far from written, and students of
today can be influential actors of tomorrow. In fact, with the growth of modern communications
students can participate as actors of today.
This course is not designed to provide “yes or no” answers to questions considered but will
provide us with an understanding of key concepts in the field, how they are utilized and what
some successes and failures have been in the field of international development. It is designed to
be participatory and hands-on. Students will have the opportunity to come up with their own
solutions to the challenges of international development. The course is interdisciplinary in
nature integrating economic, political science, international relations, historical and cultural
perspectives.
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2. Course Requirements: Course grades will be determined as follows:
20% - Class Participation
20% - Three Reaction Papers
20% - Book Report
20% - Research and Analysis Paper
20% - Comparative Analysis Essay
Participation - As 20% of the grade will be based on class participation, it is extremely important
that students attend class and do the reading. If students do not plan to regularly attend classes
they should not take this course. I will assign a mid-term participation grade by Class 13.
Reaction Papers – In lieu of mid-term and final examinations, at three intervals during the course
I will assign a reaction paper topic. Students will have a week to prepare a 4-5 page doublespaced paper addressing the topic, which will e related to course content covered to date. I
encourage students to collaborate with a colleague to write the paper, which should be 6-8 pages
in length.
Book Report – Students will write a 7-8 page book report critically analyzing and comparing one
of the books assigned for the course and a book chosen by the student that addresses international
development in some fashion. Once they have tentatively selected the book, students will need to
explain to me in a one page statement why they chose the book by Class 9. The first page of the
report may summarize key elements of the student’s chosen book but the rest of the report will
consist of comparative analysis answering the following types of questions: How are the books
similar? How do they differ? Are the solutions that they pose credible? What have you learned
from reading them? The book report will be due class 23.
Research and Analysis Paper - Students will be required to write a 12-15 page paper.
Alternatively, I encourage students to collaborate in teams of two on an approximately 20-page
paper. The papers should address a key issue or problem in the field of international
development, and discuss ways in which the problem is, or is not, being addressed. Topics may
be country-based (i.e. discussion of development challenges in Bolivia, for example), or issue–
based (e.g. analysis of the international fight against AIDS). Students will choose their topic and
in 1-2 pages will explain the focus of the paper, how it is related to international development.
This is due by class 9; the final paper will be due class 25.
Comparative Analysis Essay - Participants will write a 5-6 page essay due last class. This essay,
on a specific topic that I will assign, will be designed to allow participants to demonstrate their
understanding of the underlying concepts and trends that formed the core of the course material.
IMPORTANT: Please note that determination of a final grade is contingent upon all five of
these grading components being fulfilled. Failure to submit, for example, the research paper
could result in a grade of F being assigned for the course.
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I will at times use Blackboard to send messages, update the syllabus, and provide additional
course-related material.
Classroom Protocol
1. Students are expected to attend and be prepared for ALL regularly scheduled
classes.
2. Students are expected to arrive on time and stay in class until the class period ends. If a
student knows in advance that s/he will need to leave early, s/he should notify the instructor
before the class period begins.
3. Students are expected to treat faculty and fellow students with respect. For example,
students must not disrupt class by leaving and reentering during class, must not distract class
by making noise, and must be attentive to comments being made by the instructors and by
peers.
3. Texts: John Rapley, Understanding International Development, Lynne Reinner Press, ISBN
978-1-58826-538-8
Gilbert Rist, The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith, Zed Books,
ISBN 978 1 84813 189 7
Mitchell A. Seligson and John T Passé-Smith Development and Underdevelopment: The Political
Economy of Global Inequality, 5th edition. (selected readings available on Blackboard).
Paul Collier, The Bottom Billion, Oxford University Press, 2007.
Other selected readings.
4. Schedule and Readings:
Segment 1 - Introduction
8/26 Class 1 - Introduction/Explanation of Course/Administrative Issues
8/28 Class 2 – Evolution of International Development (S. Fisher clips)
http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_at_state.html
9/2 Class 3 – Millennium Development Goals and Development
Readings: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/publications/mdg-report-2014.html
http://data.worldbank.org/mdgs (use in class)
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3877943/
Rist, Chapter 1, 13
9/4 Class 4 – Economic Development: What is it?
Readings: http://read-online.org/archives/2657?goback=.gde_3244020_member_114186174
Rapley, Chapter 1
Collier, Part 1
Development and Underdevelopment, Chapter 17
Segment 2 – Up to 1980
9/9 Class 5 - The historical evolution of international development. How development assistance
began before/after World War II.
Readings: Rist, Chapter 3
Development and Underdevelopment, Chapters 7 & 8, 10
9/11 Class 6 - Building the post-war international economic order.
Readings: Rapley, Chapter 2
Rist, Chapter 4
9/16 Class 7 – London School of Economics, Introduction to International Development
Reaction paper #1 assigned.
Readings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rijoBZBFxk
9/18 Class 8 – 1950-1970. Emphasis on Capital Infrastructure. The Green Revolution.
Kennedy, the Alliance for Progress, optimism and "positivism" in development assistance.
Readings: Rapley, Chapter 3
Rist, Chapter 5
9/23 Class 9 - 1970-1980 Basic human needs. Vietnam, disillusionment, and reform.
Choice of both book report and research and analysis paper topics due, with explanation of why
you have chosen them.
Reaction paper #1 due.
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Readings:
Rist, Chapters 8-9
Louis Emmerij, “The Basic Needs Development Strategy”,
http://www.un.org/esa/policy/wess/wess2010workshop/wess2010_emmerij.pdf
Collier, Part 2, Chapters 2-3 “The Conflict Trap” and The Natural Resource Trap”
Development and Underdevelopment, Chapter 31, Commodity Prices, Growth, and the
Natural Resource Curse: Reconciling a Conundrum
Segment 3 – 1980-2000
9/25 Class 10 – 1980s “Reagan-Thatcherism" and the role of the private sector. Development of
the “Washington Consensus”. Berg Report.
Readings: Rapley, Chapters 4-5
Rist, Chapter 10
Joseph Stiglitz, “The Post Washington Consensus Consensus”,
http://policydialogue.org/files/events/Stiglitz_Post_Washington_Consensus_Paper.pdf
9/30 Class 11 - The Washington Consensus – Critiques.
Collier, Part 2, Chapters 4-5, “Landlocked with Bad Neighbors, and Bad Governance in
Small Country
10/2- Class 12 Class Debate: North Approach to Development or South?
Readings: Rapley, Chapter 6
Rist, Chapter 11
Development and Underdevelopment, Chapter 30, “What Makes Countries Rich or Poor
10/7 Class 13 - Major Issues in Development: health and population, AIDS
Readings: Rapley, Conclusion
“Global AIDS Epidemic”, http://www.avert.org/aids-hiv-epidemic.htm
Peter Evans, Population Health and Development,
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTRANETSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/Resources/Evan
s_PopulationHealthandDevelopment.pdf
10/9 Class 14 - Major Issues in Development: globalization, poverty, human rights.
Reaction paper #2 assigned.
Mid-term participation grades provided.
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Readings: Book Reviews on Thomas Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree:
http://www.ratical.org/co-globalize/capitalists.html,
Philip Alston et al, Human Rights and Development, (pp. 20-37)
http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.co.uk/pdf/0-19-928462-8.pdf
10/14 Class 15 – A Conversation with Ryan Leamy. Ryan is a UVM graduate student who
recently completed a two-year stint as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali. He has written an
interesting and reflective paper on his experiences. Please note his “5-Point Plan” for
development, and subsequent thoughts on the topic after having been in Africa.
Reading: Reamy Paper (on Blackboard).
Collier, Part 3, An Interlude: Globalization to the Rescue?
10/16 Class 16 – Major Issues in Development: food security and nutrition, human security
Reaction paper #2 due.
Readings: http://www.humansecurityinitiative.org/definition-human-security
UNDP, Human Development Report for 2013 Summary,
http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR2013_EN_Summary.pdf
World Health Organization, “Food Security”,
http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story028/en/
10/21 Class 17 - Major Issues in Development: the environment
Taking Root (video)
Readings: The Green Belt Movement, http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/
“The Brundtland Report: A 20 Years Update”, Volker Hauff, Chair German Council on
Sustainable Development, http://www.sdnetwork.eu/pdf/conferences/2007_berlin/ESB07_Plenary_Hauff.pdf
10/23 Class 18 – Policy Discussion – former Governor Howard Dean.
Major issues in Development: economic restructuring, privatization, enterprise development and
job creation
Readings: World Bank, WDR 2013 on Jobs, Overview (pp. 2-41),
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTNWDR2013/Resources/82580241320950747192/8260293-1322665883147/WDR_2013_Report.pdf.
Segment 4 – 2000-2012
10/28 Class 19 – Contemporary Period: new issues on the development agenda – Democracy and
Governance
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Readings: Morton Halperin and Joseph Siegle, The Democracy Advantage (handout)
Pranab Bardhan, “Democracy and Development: A Complex Relationship”,
http://emlab.berkeley.edu/users/webfac/bardhan/papers/BardhanDemoc.pdf
Rapley, Chapter 7
10/30 Class 20 – Terrorism and the Challenge of Development, The Case of the Boko Harum in
Nigeria. Class Debate on how to deal with it.
Reaction paper #3 assigned.
Reading: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17502977.2013.783999#.UmviwBC2Ig
Collier, part 4, Chapter 8, “Military Intervention”
11/4 Class 21 – Web-based discussion of the role of NGOs
Readings: https://civicus.org/ including State of Civil Society 2013 pp 13-42 plus a site of
your choice.
11/6 Class 22 – A Case Study in Development: Rwanda. A Debate (jointly held with POLS 177)
Readings: Dalibor Rohac, “The Rwanda Renaissance, http://www.the-americaninterest.com/articles/2011/12/09/the-rwandan-renaissance/
Reyntjens, “Constructing the Truth, Dealing with Dissent, Domesticating the World:
Governance in Post-genocide Rwanda,
https://www.google.com/search?q=Reyntjens%2C+%E2%80%9CConstructing+the+Truth
%2C+Dealing+with+Dissent%2C+Domesticating+the+World%3A+Governance+in+Postgenocide+Rwanda&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:enUS:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb
11/11 Class 23 – Donor Efforts to Promote Democracy and Development
Reaction paper #3 due.
Readings: Thomas Carothers, "Democracy Support and Development Aid: The Elusive
Synthesis”, http://wbg.ndi.org/files/JoD_Carothers_Oct2010.pdf
Kenneth Wollack and Scott Hubli, “Getting Convergence Right”,
http://www.ndiserbia.org/files/JoD_Wollack_Hubli_Oct2010.pdf
Collier, Part 4, Chapter 7, “Aid to the Rescue?”
Collier, Part 4, Chapter 9, “Laws and Charters?”
11/13 Class 24 – Measurements of Well-Being: GDP vs Gross National Happiness, Dr. Eric
Zancey, Gund Institute
Reading: http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/innovations/data/000238#
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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/opinion/10zencey.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Collier, Part 4, Chapter 10, “Trade Policy for Reversing Marginalization”
Book report due.
11/18 Class 25 – Civil Society role-playing exercise – Malawi. You are either members of an
NGO, Malawian government officials or World Bank staff members who are dialoguing
upon the state of the economy as part of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper preparation
process.
Readings:
http://wwwwds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2010/12/09/00033
3037_20101209230947/Rendered/PDF/479690V10ESW0G1OFFICIAL0USE0ONLY1
91.pdf Read from introduction through p. 22.
http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/countries-crossroads/2012/malawi
11/20 Class 26 – The Future - Solutions for Development?
Readings: Rapley, Chapters 8-9
Collier, Part 5, “An Agenda for Action”
Development and Underdevelopment, Chapter 14
MDG 2.0 http://www.cgdev.org/files/1426271_file_Kenny_Karver_MDGs_FINAL.pdf
Paper due.
12/2 – Class 27 - Conclusion and Evaluation
Comparative analysis paper due.
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Inclusiveness:
Disability/Access: In keeping with University policy, any student with a documented disability
interested in utilizing accommodations should contact ACCESS, the office of Disability Services
on campus. ACCESS works with students to create reasonable and appropriate accommodations
via an accommodation letter to their professors as early as possible each semester.
Contact ACCESS: A170 Living/Learning Center - 802-656-7753 - [email protected].
Religious Holidays: Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice. If you need to
miss class to observe a religious holiday, please submit the dates of your absence to me in
writing by the end of the second full week of classes. You will be permitted to make up work
within a mutually agreed-upon time.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
Academic Integrity Policy
1. Students may not plagiarize.
All ideas, arguments, and phrases, submitted without attribution to other sources must be the
creative product of the student. Thus, all text passages taken from the works of other authors
(published or unpublished) must be properly cited. The same applies to paraphrased text,
opinions, data, examples, illustrations, and all other creative work. Violations of this standard
constitute plagiarism.
2. Students may not fabricate.
All experimental data, observations, interviews, statistical surveys, and other information
collected and reported as part of academic work must be authentic. Any alteration, e.g., the
removal of statistical outliers, must be clearly documented. Data must not be falsified in any
way. Violations of this standard constitute fabrication.
3. Students may not collude.
Students may only provide, seek or accept information about any academic work to or from
another student with the authorization of the instructor. Students may only collaborate on
academic work within the limits prescribed by their instructors. Violations of this standard
constitute collusion.
4. Students may not cheat.
Students must adhere to the guidelines provided by their instructors for completing academic
work. Students may not claim as their own work any portion of academic work that was
completed by another student. Students may only use materials approved by their instructor
when completing an assignment or exam. Students may not present the same (or substantially
the same) work for more than one course without obtaining approval from the instructor of
each course. Students must adhere to all course reserves regulations. Violations of this
standard constitute cheating
Grade Appeals
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A student who believes that s/he has received an unfair course grade should first contact the
registrar’s office to verify that the grade submitted by the instructor is the same grade the
registrar has recorded. If the grade has been recorded correctly, the student should next
contact the instructor, department chair, and dean of the college/school in which the course is
offered (in that order) to discuss the matter.
The following deadline must be observed by the student who wishes to appeal a grade
(though extensions may be granted by the dean of the college / school offering the course).
The student should contact the instructor as soon as possible, and no later than the tenth day
of instruction of the semester following the assignment of the grade in question. No grade
can be appealed after the student has graduated.
Educational Records and Privacy
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with
respect to their education records.
The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the
University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head
of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the
record(s) they wish to inspect.
The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student
believes to be inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights
under FERPA. Students may write the University official responsible for the record to ask
that it be amended, and should clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and
specify why it is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their privacy rights
under FERPA
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