63300 International Perspectives on Social Policy and Social Work Practice

Spring Quarter 2014

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Days/Time: Monday5:30-8:20PM

Instructor: Leyla Ismayilova, PhD

Email:

Tel:773-834-0401

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Office:E2

Office Hours:by appointment

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I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will provide an introduction to the field of international social welfare. It will survey the field, highlight selected issues, and provide an introduction to social work practice in international agencies and organizations. This course has been designed as a seminar and will give students the practice skills they need in advancing international social development within the western industrialized countries, the transitional economies and the poor developing countries. The perspective of the course is that there is a lot in common between “underdevelopment” in the western industrialized countries and “underdevelopment” in the transitional and poor developing countries. The course focuses on how to address global poverty, social injustices, inequality, and working with diverse populations distinguished by race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age and national origin. Students will be expected to demonstrate basic understanding of issues in international social welfare, and at least the beginning skills in the use of comparative methods in analyzing a cross-national social development policy or program of particular interest to them. The underlying premise of the course is that it is essential for social workers to take a leading role not simply in analyzing international social policies, but also in guiding international social development projects, programs and policies.

This course will situate social policy considerations and social work practice challenges in the context of a globalizing world. The course introduces students to theoretical, conceptual and practice models as they relate to the social policies, programs and services in industrialized countries, transitional economies and poor developing countries, placing particular focus on transitional and developing contexts. The course will investigate the major international social welfare trends, issues and opportunities and will examine how global poverty, social injustices, and inequality are addressed in different nations. History and trends in international relief and development policy, the role of international organizations in shaping the nature of social development and social problems and how social work fits into broader relief and development policies, programs, and practice will be examined. Students will learn to critically examine and evaluate major theoretical models and approaches to social services and programs in different cultural, socio-economic, and political contexts. Using case examples, the course will provide opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of the complex social, economic, political, national and international factors that influence responses to poverty and income inequality, health disparities and public health crises, low status of women/gender discrimination, migration and refugee resettlement, conflict and violence and other social issues.

II. COURSE OBJECTIVES

The major objectives of the course are to:

  1. Explore the major international social welfare trends, issues, and opportunities, and how social work fits into broader relief and development policies, programs, and practice.
  2. Inform students about history and trends in international relief and development policy, and the implications for social work policy and practice.
  3. Educate students about the major international social welfare organizations and their activities.
  4. Provide the students with macro and institutional frameworks for planning and implementing social development projects, programs and policies within an international context.
  5. Explore appropriate interventions (projects, programs and policies) that can be used to address the unique social development issues confronting the transitional economies of the former Soviet Union and the poor developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
  6. Explore how the social work knowledge can be utilized for the development and implementation of appropriate interventions in an international context.
  7. Provide opportunities for students to deep their understanding of the complex social, economic, political, national and international forces that influence international social development practice.
  8. Present rigorous, challenging, diverse, and up-to-date empirical research and educational materials dealing with international social development.
  9. Increase students’ knowledge and awareness about critical issues in international social work, and indigenous and sustainable solutions to social welfare needs.
  10. Increase students’ knowledge and awareness of cultural competence and ethical issues entailed in participating in international social work, including those associated with the dangers of exporting the social welfare and social work solutions of most-developed nations and communities to least developed nations and communities.

III. EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will, through class discussions, oral presentations and final papers:

  1. Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate up-to-date research and analyses dealing with international social development.
  1. Demonstrate the ability to apply international social development skills and knowledge in the delivery of programs and services to communities and households in the western industrialized countries, the transitional economies, and the poor developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
  1. Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze and recommend specific changes in the delivery of international social development projects, programs and policies.

IV. READINGS

Required books:

Easterly, William (2007).The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good. Penguin Books.

Collier, Paul (2007). The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can be Done About it. Oxford: Oxford University Press. E-book available viaUChicago Library

Roberts, J. Timmons and Hite, Bellone A (Editors). (2007). The Globalization and Development Reader: Perspectives on Development and Global Change. Wiley-BlackwellPublishing.

Recommended books:

Abhijit Banerjee,Esther Duflo (2012). Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty.PublicAffairs. Book’s website www.pooreconomics.comE-book available at UChicago Library

Sen, Amartya (1999). Development as freedom. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. E-book available via UChicagoLibrary

Stiglitz, Joseph (2003). Globalization and Its Discontents. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

Sachs, Jeffrey (2005). The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. New York: The Penguin Press.

Lechner, Frank J. and Boli, John (Editors). (2011). The Globalization Reader. Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.

Cox, David & Pawar, Manohar. (2006). International social work:Issues,strategies, andprograms. Sage Publications. CA: Thousand Oaks.

Healy, Lynne M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World, Oxford University Press. E-book available via UChicago Library

Dichter, Thomas W. (2003). Despite Good Intentions. University of Massachusetts Press.

Bornstein, David (2003). How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and Power of New Ideas. New York: Oxford University Press.

Ellwood, Wayne. The No-Nonsense Guide to Globalization, second edition, 2005 Verso.

Terry, Fiona. (2002). Condemned to Repeat? The Paradox of Humanitarian Action.

Other Useful Readings:

In additions to the required readings, each week there is a required set of readings assigned. All students in the course are required to do all the course readings assigned.

Throughout the course, students are expected to be knowledgeable of current social, economic, and political issues. This knowledge is essential for meaningful participation in class discussions. In order to stay abreast of the current issues, students are required to read at least one daily international newspaper and several weekly and monthly international periodicals, preferably from diverse political viewpoints. For example, recommended U.S. newspapers include: Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times (especially the NYT Global Edition International Herald Tribunewww.iht.com) along with web-based news portals like www.euronews.com, www.aljazeera.com, allafrica.com, www.eurasianet.org, latindispatch.com. Please pay particular attention to in-depth stories and “op-ed” commentaries that provide analysis of current issues.

Suggested U.S. periodicals include: the National Review, The Public Interest, Business Week, Economist, National Journal, Congressional Digest, The Atlantic Monthly, The New Republic, American Prospect, Nation, and In These Times.

V. ORGANIZATION OF THE COURSE

The course is organized with strong emphasis on class discussions. Students are expected to draw heavily from the assigned readings, their fieldwork practice experience, international experiences (where applicable), newspapers articles, and related courses in order to contribute to the discussions. Throughout the course, there will be occasional videos and class exercises.

VI. ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING CRITERIA

Students will be graded on two assignments (an oral presentation and final paper), participation in class discussions and group exercises. Students are expected to do an oral presentation of their comparative international social development research project to the class.The assignments are expected to include an extensive discussion of the relevant comparative international social development literature and a balance between statistical and non-statistical data sources. Active participation in group work and class discussions is required.

The breakdown of the grading is as follows:

  • A mid-term presentation30
  • In-class assignments/peer rating10
  • Final paper (comparative international social development)40
  • Class attendance and participation20

Total100

Style:All written work must use APA style for citations and bibliographies. If you are not familiar with APA style requirements, please consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Work turned in with other than APA style will be graded down. Your written work will be graded based on the clarity of your presentation and your demonstration of your analytic and critical skills.

The main sources for your research papers should be scholarly and professional (e.g., agency, NGO) literature. If you have the capacity, I encourage you to consult materials from more than one language as discourses may be significantly different. You are also welcome to ground your papers in literature written in scholarly and professional literature written in other languages.

Class Attendance: It is expected that students will attend all classes, and will arrive to class and depart on time. Any departure from these expectations must be arranged in advance with the instructor, and will be permitted only if unavoidable due to illness or other critical time conflict. Absence from a class and/or leaving before the end of the class without prior approval from the instructor will result in a reduction of 5-points—from the final grade—for each class missed.

Late Policy: Except under extremely unusual circumstances, all assignments must be completed fully and submitted at the beginning of class on the due date. Late papers will result in a reduction of 4-points for each day late (including weekends), unless prior approval is obtained from the instructor. A grade of incomplete is given only in accordance with university policy.

Academic Honesty: Academic honesty in the composition of assigned papers is expected. If problems do arise for you regarding any aspect of the course, please talk with the instructor so that the problem(s) may be remedied. Violation of academic honesty in the preparation of papers (e.g., plagiarism) will result in notification to the SSA Associate Dean, and will be dealt with according to the University and School policies stated in SSA Student Handbook and the SSA Bulletin.

An “A” assignment: Is outstanding, complete, well-written and organized; is thorough and clearly and accurately defines, explains and discusses the concepts and ideas and theories presented in assigned readings using a student’s own words; elaborates beyond the readings and handouts; provides examples; and is able to link into the discussion policy-level and practice level issues.

The Instructor adheres to University and School policies regarding accommodations for students with disabilities, religious holidays, incompletes, plagiarism, and students’ evaluation of the course and its instruction as is stated in the SSA Student Handbook and SSA Bulletin.

VII.TOPICS TO BE COVERED

PART 1

CONCEPTUAL UNDERPININGS OF INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Week 1: Introduction and overview of the course. Demographics & Development.

  • The language of international social development.
  • Electronic resources in international and comparative social development research.
  • Key players and history of international development policy.

This section is the introduction to the field of development that will cover key terms, historic events and key actors. In addition, the session will discuss the importance of using evidence in developing and assessingdevelopment programs and policies. A vast array of electronic resources currently exists to assist comparative researchers with their investigations. Students will be introduced students to the electronic sources currently available to assist them with the conduct of their own comparative social development research.

In-class activity: USAID Project - Girls Education in Afghanistan

Required readings:

*Collier, Paul (2007). The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can be Done About it.

Part 1What’s the Issue. Falling Behind and Falling Apart: The Bottom Billion

*Kusek, Jody, Ray Rist and Elizabeth White. (2005). How will we know Millennium Development results? Evaluation, 11 (1): 7-26.

Wainaina, B. “How to write about Africa.” Granta 92: The View from Africa.

PaulPronyk (2012). Errors in a paper on the Millennium Villages project. The Lancet,379(9830):1946

Recommended readings:

Sachs, Jeffrey. (22 June 2000). A new map of the world. The Economist.

Pawson R. (2002). Evidence-based policy: in search of a method. Evaluation, 8 (2): 157-181.

Armin Rosen (Jan, 2013). It's the Politics, Stupid: What Jeffrey Sachs' Development Work Is Missing. The Atlantic.

Understanding the influence and role of “actors” in contemporary social development. MajorPlayers in International Development: Donors, INGOs, States, NGOs, and Communities.
  • Influence of the major private and public sector “actors”
  • Understanding of the development-related policy, planning and service delivery at the local, national, regional and international levels
  • The United Nations and its role in social development

Required Readings:

*Matanga, Frank Khachina(2010). NGOs and the Politics of Development in Africa. Development,53(1):114–119.

*Watkins, Susan Cotts, Swidler, Ann and Hannan, Thomas. (2012).Outsourcing Social Transformation: Development NGOs as Organizations. Annual Review of Sociology, 38: 285-315.

*Bond, M. (2000). “The backlash against NGOs.” In The Globalization Reader. Malden: Blackwell Publishing. Pages: 294-299.

Makoba, Wagona J. (2002). Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and third world development: an alternative approach to development. Journal of Third World Studies, 19(1): 53-61.

Cohen, Michael A., Maria Figueroa Küpçü, and Parag Khanna. (2008). The new colonialists. Foreign Policy. 167: 74.

Healy, L. (2001). International social welfare organizations and their functions, Chapter 5 in International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World (New York: Oxford) pp.106-132.

Recommended readings:

Barnett, Michael (2005). Humanitarianism Transformed. Perspectives on Politics, 3(4):723-740.

Acemoglu, D, S. Johnson, and J. Robinson. (2001). The colonial origins of comparative development: An empirical investigation. MIT Dept. of Economics Working Paper No. 00-22.

Cammack, Diana, Dinah McLeod, Alina Rocha Menocal, and Karin Christiansen. (2006). Donors and the ‘Fragile States’ Agenda: A Survey of Current Thinking and Practice.

Stiglitz, J. (2003). The promise of global institutions. Chapter 41 in Held & McGrew (Eds.) The Global Transformation Reader (London: Polity Press).

Week 2: The global context, international social development, and social practice—conceptual underpinnings

This session introduces students to the concept of “globalization” and its implications for international social development, especially for the development of poorer countries visa-à-vis access to and control over resources that are essential to broad-based social and economic development. Issues to be explored include the ethical and value dilemmas that are intrinsic to international practice, as well as the differences between micro and macro-level practice within an international context. Rich countries both “own” and “manage” major aspects of the global economy, often to the detriment of poorer countries on whom richer countries depend for raw materials, cheap labor and the like.

Video: Life and Debt(A POV video on Globalization)

Required readings:

*Collier, Paul (2007). The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can be Done About it.

Part 2The traps

2The Conflict Trapp. 17

3The Natural Resource Trapp. 38

4Landlocked with Bad Neighborsp. 53

5Bad Governance in a Small Countryp. 64

*Easterly, William (2007).The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good.

Chapter 8From Colonialism to Postmodern Imperialism

Chapter 9Invading the Poor

*Andre Gunder Frank (2007). The Development of Underdevelopment (1969). In The Globalization and Development Reader: Perspectives on Development and Global Change. Malden: Blackwell Publishing. Pages: 76-84

Amy Bellone Hite and J. Timmons Roberts (2007). Dependency and Beyond: Introduction. In The Globalization and Development Reader: Perspectives on Development and Global Change. Malden: Blackwell Publishing. Pages: 71-75.

Healy, L. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World. New York: Oxford.

Chapter 2. Theories and Concepts underpinning International Social Work: Globalization

Chapter 3. Theories and Concepts underpinning International Social Work: Development and Human Rights

Stiglitz, J.E. (2002) Globalism’sDiscontents. In The Globalization and Development Reader: Perspectives on Development and Global Change. Pages: 295-304.

Recommended readings:

Cox D., Pawar M. (2006). International social work:Issues,strategies, andprograms. Sage Publications.

Chapter 2The Integrated-perspectives Approach to International Social Work. (pp.25-47).

Amy Bellone Hite and J. Timmons Roberts (2007). Development and Globalization: Recurring Themes. In The Globalization and Development Reader: Perspectives on Development and Global Change, pp. 1-16.