POS 370: Politics of the Developing World
Georgetown College
Dr. Kali Wright-Smith
Office: Cooke Memorial Building 106
Phone: x8073
Course Description
When studying politics, all too often we center our analysis on the powerful advanced industrial countries of the world, such as the United States or the European Union. Nevertheless, the majority of the world’s countries are part of what is known as alternatively as the “Global South,” “third world,” “underdeveloped world,” or “developing world.” These terms all refer to the weakly developed nations of Africa, Latin America, and the majority of Asia. In this course we will focus on the historical dynamics, political institutions, economic systems, policies, and challenges that characterize the nations of the developing world. We will analyze trends and similarities across these regions while also paying close attention to case studies in order to discern differences among these political and economic systems. In addition to gaining an understanding of the problems faced by developing nations- such as ethnic, religious, and tribal conflict, weak governance and corruption, economic stagnation, and weak provision of social services and education- we will examine different theoretical frameworks, positive cases, and policy solutions in order to analyze the prospects for further development in these states.
Goals: this class will provide the opportunity to
- examine various models of why certain areas of the world are underdeveloped
- analyze whether underdevelopment is best characterized by “traps”
- ask how history has contributed to current conditions in the developing world
- debate how different forms of institutional design affect development
- compare developing nations to understand the diversity in their policies, progress, and problems
- analyze potential policy solutions for addressing underdevelopment
Course Texts:Collier, Paul. The Bottom Billion. 2007, Oxford University Press.
Additional readings will be made available on Moodle.
Cultural Awareness Abroad (pending approval)
As a Cultural Awareness Abroad course, we will focus on a non-Western perspective of development and we will explore the politics of areas that are traditionally underrepresented in the Political Science literature, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We will also utilize the following readings and videos that provide a perspective from developing nations:
Cultural Awareness Abroad Readings
Dambisa Moyo- “Why Foreign Aid is Hurting Africa”
Celestin Monga- “Eight Problems with African Politics”
Ashutosh Varshney: “Ethnic Conflict and Civil Society: India and Beyond”
Shah: “Praetorianism and Terrorism”
Kamrava: “Political Culture and a new definition of the Third World”
Lee: “Path toward Democracy in South Korea: Social Capital and Democracy Embedded in the Citizens”
Anup Shah: “The Democratic Republic of Congo”
Josiah A. M. Cobbah: “African Values and the Human Rights Debate: An African Perspective”
BBC News: “Africans on Africa: Colonialism” (Series of Interviews with Africans)
Keddie: “Women in the Middle East: Progress and Backlash”
Ngor, Haing: “A Cambodian Odyssey”
Jean Hatzfeld: “Machete Season”
Arat: “Child Labor as a Human Rights Issue: Efforts, Mistakes, and Solutions”
Gu, Humphrey, and Messer: “Global Governance and Developing Countries: The Implications of the Rise of China.”
Ockey: “Thailand in 2007: The Struggle to Control Democracy”
Cohen, Kupcu, Figueroa, Parag: “The New Colonialists”
Dominguez and Shifter: Constructing Democratic Governance in Latin America
Videos/Clips
-Pray the Devil Back to Hell (documentary of the Liberian women’s movement that fought to advance the peace process in Liberia)
-Al Jazeera- Riz Khan- “The Fate of the World’s Poorest” (discussion of the effect of the global economic crisis on Africa; includes a debate between Western and non-Western economists over the effectiveness of foreign aid)
-God Grew Tired of Us: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan (documentary of the impact of Sudan’s civil war on the youth population and the experience of Sudanese refugees).
-“The Overthrow of Democratic Chile” (translated)- examines (from the Chilean perspective) the domestic problems that led to the coup against Salvador Allende and the West’s role in contributing to that crisis.
-Al Jazeera- David Frost interview of Morgan Tsvangirai- “Zimbabwe’s Cholera Crisis” (Explores the failure of the Zimbabwean government to resolve the cholera outbreak; focuses on an interview with the prime minister of Zimbabwe.)
-Blue Gold (global water problems/the issue of water privatization explored from the perspective of scientists, activists, and citizens in both developing and developed nations)
-Al Jazeera- “Somalia: Living in a Failed State” (illustrates the causes and effects of state failure with interviews of Somalis and video of current conditions.)
Assignments & Grading
Grading Scale: 100-92.9 A, 92.8-88.9 AB, 88.8-82.9 B, 82.8-78.9 BC, 78.8-70.0 C, 69.9 and below D, 59.9 and below F.
1.) Participation (10%): This class depends on your involvement! We will be discussing complex issues with real-world implications that require analysis and criticism. You are expected to thoughtfully examine the assigned readings and come to class prepared to discuss them. You will also take part in in-class activities and simulations and complete short assignments. We will regularly discuss current events in the developing world, so you need to keep yourself informed. I suggest reading a daily national newspaper. If you are active and engaged in class it will be easier to learn and the process will be more enjoyable for all of us! The participation component of your grade will be based on my subjective evaluation of the quality and extent of your class contributions.
Attendance is a minimum requirement for participation. It goes without saying that if you are not in class you won’t be able to participate. As responsible college students, I expect you to be in class, and you will lose participation points if you exceed 3 unexcused absences (or one week of class). Each subsequent absence will drop this portion of the grade by 5%.
2.) Response Assignments (10%)You will have periodic assignments in which you are asked to summarize, analyze, or respond to a set of questions posed about a reading or video. You may also be asked to post questions on Moodle 24 hours in advance of class that will help to guide our class discussion.
3.) Analytical Research Paper (20%) & Presentation (10%): You will prepare an 8-10 page research paper on an issue of concern in one or more developing nations. You will write this paper from the vantage point of a government analyst in that country (or countries) preparing a report for policymakers. You need to provide a background/historical summary of the problem, discuss the actors involved and their interests/goals, and evaluate the consequences of various solutions for the population. You will ultimately promote a specific policy solution that you believe the policymakers should implement in your country. Your paper must have a clear thesis, evidence to support your thesis, and an in-depth analysis of the issue, all actors affected, and the consequences of your policy proposal. More detailed formatting instructions are provided at the end of the syllabus. You will also make a 7-10 minute presentation of your proposal to the class (which will act as your audience of policymakers).
4.) Midterm & Final (25% each): These exams will gauge your ability to analyze, synthesize, and communicate issues of historical and modern concern to developing nations. They will consist of identification, short answer, and essay questions. The questions that are listed under each week’s topic are the types of questions that you will see on your exams.
Class Policies:
All late work will be penalized one letter grade for each day that it is late. Assignments turned in late on the day they are due will be docked half a letter grade. Excuses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but extensions will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances. Written verification, such as a doctor's note, will be required. If you have an extenuating circumstance, let me know ASAP. I will be far less sympathetic to excuses received after an assignment is due.
Please be respectful and exercise decorum during our class sessions. This means, among other things, that cell phones must be turned off, iPods should be put away, there should be no side conversations, respect your classmates' opinions in class discussions, and please no reading of non-class materials during class. Use of laptops is restricted to note-taking for class. If I become aware of inappropriate usage (working on other classes, reading online, shopping, etc.), you will get a zero for your participation grade. Most importantly, please be on time for class. Consistent lateness is disruptive to the class and will result in a much lower participation grade.
I am always available to answer questions or discuss any class-related issues. Please feel free to send me an email, stop by my office, or make an appointment whenever you need help with anything or simply want to chat about politics!
If you have a disability and need any special learning accommodations, please let me know ASAP so arrangements can be made.
Cheating and plagiarism will be punished with a failing grade and a report to the Dean of Students. Plagiarism is defined as “stealing and passing off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own or using (another's production) without crediting the source” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). It is a serious act and will be treated as such. If you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please ask me.
Course Schedule: I reserve the right to make changes to this schedule, including the due dates of assignments. I will inform you of any changes in the due dates of tests or papers at least one week in advance.
Topic 1: Introduction, What is development?
How do we define the “developing world?” How can we accurately measure development? What are the main theories of development?
Collier: (1-13)
Topic 2: Understanding the Developing World: History and Geography
What limitations do geographic factors pose to the developing world? How has colonialism, particularly the “scramble for Africa” had lasting effects on the make-up of developing world states? Understand the Western motivations of colonialism and the political, economic, and cultural effects of colonialism on the colonized people through a simulation, video, and readings of interviews of colonized peoples.
Jeffrey Sachs: The End of Poverty, Ch. 2 (Moodle)
BBC News: “Africans on Africa: Colonialism” (Series of Interviews with Africans)
Topic 3: Key Problems of Underdevelopment
What are the major health, education, political, and economic problems faced by the developing world today? What problems must be addressed first? Why do different regions face varying issues? Understand the living conditions of the “bottom billion,” and how its level of underdevelopment differs from other developing nations.
Collier (17-64)
Celestin Monga- “Eight Problems with African Politics”
Interlandi: “The New Oil” (Moodle)
Video: Al Jazeera- David Frost interview of Morgan Tsvangirai- “Zimbabwe’s Cholera Crisis”
Assignment: Watch clips of video Blue Gold and write a brief response that discusses the problems developing nations face regarding water and the consequences of increased privatization of water resources for citizens and farmers in the developing world.
Topic 4: The Economic Structure of the Developing World
How do natural resources have both positive and negative effects on the economies of the developing world? Have international financial institutions’ policies and neoliberal economic policies done more harm or good from the perspective of developing nations? What can we learn from success stories in Asia?
Collier (79-99)
Greenwood, Louise. “Are Africa’s Commodities an Economic Blessing?” (Moodle)
Onis and Senses: “Rethinking the Emerging Post-Washington Consensus.” (Moodle)
*Bello: “Manufacturing a Food Crisis.”
Video: Al Jazeera- Riz Khan- “The Fate of the World’s Poorest”
“The Miracle of Asia”
Topic 5: Social Issues I: Human Rights & the Role of Women
Are human rights conceptualized differently in developing states? What factors shape human rights policy in these states? Why are women and children hurt the most by the problems in the developing world? Is there any evidence to suggest that women may be advancing in particular areas? Understand how are women affected by conflict and post-conflict situations, with special attention to an interview with a Sri Lankan women’s development worker.
Cobbah: “African Values and the Human Rights Debate: An African Perspective” (Moodle)
Keddie: “Women in the Middle East: Progress and Backlash” (Moodle)
Coleman: “The Payoff from Women’s Rights” (Moodle)
Topic 6: Social Issues II: Identity Conflicts
Is identity the main source of conflict in the developing world? How did colonialism increase the potential for identity-based conflicts? What are the primary goals of indigenous movements in the developing world? How can identity conflicts be lessened to reduce the likelihood of ethnic cleansing and genocide?
Ashutosh Varshney: “Ethnic Conflict and Civil Society: India and Beyond” (Moodle)
Jean Hatzfeld: “Machete Season” (Moodle)
Ngor, Haing: “A Cambodian Odyssey” (Moodle)
Video: God Grew Tired of Us
Topic 7: International Factors, Good and Bad
What have been the traditional policies of advanced industrial countries toward the developing world? Have the developed nations aided or harmed the developing world through their intervention (both military and governmental?) How have the economic policies of the developed world’s corporations or multi-national corporations affected the developing world?
Collier (124-135)
Video: “The Overthrow of Democratic Chile” (translated)
Topic 8: Foreign Aid and Debt
Is foreign aid helping the developing world? How could foreign aid be made more effective? Where can aid be put to the greatest use and how can it actually be hurtful? What do the UN Millennium Goals prescribe in terms of foreign aid? How does “politics” interfere with decisions of aid giving? Debate the consequences of increasing foreign aid and debt forgiveness.
Collier (99-123)
Dambisa Moyo- “Why Foreign Aid is Hurting Africa” (Moodle)
Sachs and McArthur: “Moso’s Confused Attack on Aid for Africa” (Moodle)
Nicholas Kristof: “The Coffin Maker’s Benchmark.” The New York Times. (Moodle)
Topic 9: Governance and Political Institutions
What are the biggest weaknesses in the developing world’s political institutions? How would improved governance stimulate development? What are the forms and effects of corruption? How does a state fail, and how can failure be prevented in a state on the brink of destruction? Examine specific cases of state failure and discuss the root causes of the breakdown of the state.
Collier (64-79, 135-157)
Rotberg: “The New Nation-State Failure” (Moodle)
Leiken: “Controlling the Global Corruption Epidemic” (Moodle)
Dominguez and Shifter: Constructing Democratic Governance in Latin America, Ch. 1.
Video: Al Jazeera- “Somalia: Living in a Failed State”
Topic 10: Security Issues and the Military
How do governance issues cross boundaries? What leads groups to form rebel movements? Why do many terrorist groups emerge from the developing world? With special attention to Latin America and Southeast Asia, discuss how has the role of the military has evolved in the developing world. How can the military positively affect developing nations?
Ockey: Thailand in 2007: The Struggle to Control Democracy (Moodle)
Shah: “Praetorianism and Terrorism” (Moodle)
Research Essay Due/Presentation of Findings
Topic 11: Democracy & Development
Are democracy and economic development connected? Does democracy produce superior public services? What factors limit democratization in authoritarian states or quasi-democracies? How much do developing nations push for increased democratization? Are there any possible negative effects of democratization?
Presentations (cont).
Handelman: “The Explosion of Third World Democracy” in The Challenge of Third World Development. (Moodle)
Topic 12: Political Culture & Civil Society
How are citizen movements affecting democracy and development? What is the role of international organizations in the developing world? Is there evidence of progress achieved by domestic movements? How do citizens in the developing world view political participation?
Kamrava: “Political Culture and a new definition of the Third World” (Moodle)
Lee: “Path toward Democracy in South Korea: Social Capital and Democracy Embedded in the Citizens” (Moodle)
Cohen, Kupcu, Figueroa, Parag: “The New Colonialists” (Moodle)
Video: Pray the Devil Back to Hell
Assignment: Write a brief reflection paper in class in which you discuss the following questions: How do Western non-governmental organizations provide both problems and solutions for developing nations? What obstacles are faced by domestic and international NGOs as they attempt to operate in developing nations?
Topic 13: Looking Forward in the Developing World
How can developing nations, particularly the “bottom billion” get out of the traps identified by Collier? What can advanced industrial countries do to help them? What are the primary challenges that developing states will continue to face in the coming decades?
Collier (175-192)
Gu, Humphrey, and Messer: “Global Governance and Developing Countries: The Implications of the Rise of China.” (Moodle)
Appendix 1: Guidelines for Research Paper
Papers will be judged on the basis of scholarly insight, the clarity of your thesis and arguments, the use of evidence to support your thesis, the organization of the paper, writing proficiency, as well as originality. While you will not be penalized for every little typo, you need to proofread your work to avoid excessive spelling and grammar errors (fragments, run-on sentences, etc.) This will make your work easier to understand and far, far more convincing. If you have questions as you are writing, please feel free to come discuss them with me, but don’t wait until the last minute!
All papers should be in the following format: Times New Roman 12 pt. font, double-spaced, 1 inch margins. You must cite all information correctly using MLA or APA formats. Quotes must be cited, as well as paraphrased material. A good rule of thumb is, when in doubt, cite! For your research paper you must use at least 8 outside sources (which does not include Wikipedia! Proceed cautiously with other internet sources).
Good luck and happy writing!