PSC 259, Country Studies Prof. K.

Arnold
Spring, 2019 office: 990 W Fullerton Ave, 2111
Location: Arts & Letters 313 Political Science
TuTh 11:20—12:50 email: [email protected]
office hours: Tues 3:00—3:30, Thurs 1-2 & by appt (please do not email me on D2L)

Comparative Political Development:

In modern western history, discoverers initiated what is considered the first large-scale
wave of imperialism, attempting to colonize land in new territories, collect riches for their
home countries, and to convert indigenous groups to Christianity and/or to exterminate
them. In the late 1800s, European countries and the United States engaged in what is
considered a second wave of imperialism, attempting to control the resources and
governments of countries throughout the globe. What was remarkable about this wave of
imperial power was that the countries leading these efforts considered themselves to be
democracies. Imperial efforts had to be justified through civilizational discourses (e.g. the
civilized Europeans versus native barbarians) that became increasingly eugenic (“scientifically”
racist, sexist, and class-biased). By the Second World War, imperial powers—particularly the
United Kingdom—were impoverished and the countries subjugated to these powers began to
declare independence. The language of “enlightened imperialism” was replaced by discourses
of development, poverty relief, and democratization. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s,
countries declared or fought for their independence. Nevertheless, many are considered to
be poor (Third World) or developing but with caveats (Second World).
Bretton Woods institutions, which had been established to prevent another world
depression and later, to help post-war Europe reconstruct its economy, began to orient
themselves to poverty relief in developing countries. By the 1980s, these institutions began
to change to a new model of poverty relief and political restructuring, informally called “The
Washington Consensus.” This model was viewed as a way to impose austerity conditions on
countries, to open new markets and to make economies more global. Today these policies
are viewed as neoliberal and there has been some criticism of pushing this sort of
development. Nevertheless, the Bretton Woods institutions remain influential in developing
the economies of all countries and regulating the integration of regional economies. The
institutions are also viewed with suspicion because they often dictate political, economic, and
social norms and policies but do not allow the countries affected to be the primary decision
makers. The institutions have also been headed by individuals from the United States and
Europe (usually France), deepening suspicions that development is really a form of imperial
control by another name. Other institutions also help to democratize countries and to
strengthen the economy, for example, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
inside and outside of countries as well as United Nations institutions. Development
programs have brought about change and regional integration, but also significant issues
including reconfiguring the gendered division of labor, deepening exploitation, and harming
the environment. They have also brought about positive changes, such as greater autonomy

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for women; greater attention to child labor; some awareness of environmental harm; and
greater communication between countries. We will analyze and critique development
theories, focusing on four primary countries: China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines.

~
In the class, we will read the texts closely, identifying major themes and arguments.
Students must be prepared and come to classes with the books. You are required to bring the
assigned book or books (depending on the reading that day) to class. I would also
recommend taking notes by hand, including during the films. We will be able to discuss
ideas more broadly if this preliminary work can be done.

Learning objectives:
1 To be able to identify the most important terms and debates in development theory
and to become familiar with how authors define important concepts;
2 To be able to critically analyze ideas—this means entering into the thoughts of the
particular writer and understanding what s/he was arguing and why (whether you agree with
the author or not); please note that critical analysis is different than opinions or preferences
(i.e. likes and dislikes) and involves an internal critique—asking if the author’s ideas are
consistent, logical, well-developed
3 To be able to identify key debates about development, including being able to tie
current issues with development to broader historical trends (e.g. the legacy of colonialism),
regional and global issues, problems of class bias, gender typing and subordination, and the
oppression of minority groups
4 To be able to clearly discuss the political terms we study verbally and in writing
~ ~ ~
CSD:
Students seeking disability-related accommodations are required to register with DePaul's
Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) enabling you to access accommodations and
support services to assist your success. There are two office locations:
Loop Campus - Lewis Center #1420 - (312) 362-8002
Lincoln Park Campus - Student Center #370 - (773) 325-1677

Students are also invited to contact me privately to discuss your challenges and how I may
assist in facilitating the accommodations you will use in this course. This is best done early in
the term and our conversation will remain confidential.
~
Please also note: this syllabus is provided for informational purposes regarding the
anticipated course content and schedule of this course. It is based upon the most recent
information available on the date of its issuance and is as accurate and complete as possible. I
reserve the right to make any changes I deem necessary and/or appropriate. I will make my

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best efforts to communicate any changes in the syllabus in a timely manner on
D2L. Students are responsible for being aware of these changes.
~ ~ ~
Required texts: (no e-books or kindle allowed—must be physical copies)
~James Scott, Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance (New
Haven: Yale University Press, 1987), ISBN-13: 978-0300036411

~Rhacel Salaczar Parreñas, Servants of Globalization 2nd ed. (Palo Alto: Stanford
University Press, 2015), ISBN-13: 978-0804796149

~Melissa Wright, Disposable Women and Other Myths of Global Capitalism (New York:
Routledge, 2006), ISBN-13: 978-0415951456

~Akhil Gupta, Red Tape: Bureaucracy, Structural Violence, and Poverty in India
(Durham: Duke University Press Books, 2012), ISBN-13: 978-0822351108

All of the books are available at the DePaul Bookstore and all of the books listed above are
on reserve. If you use the reserve books, please do your best to read or copy the texts quickly
and be aware that others might be waiting for them.
~
Course Requirements:
exam 1: 35% of the grade Tuesday, 2/4
exam 2: 35% of the grade Tuesday, 3/17, 11:30-1:45
final presentation: 10% of the grade last day of classes
participation 10% of the grade
9 or 10 written reactions plus one office visit* 10% grade

~both exams require blue books provided by the professor and will include some short
answers and one or two essay questions; exams are not cumulative

~ *each student can visit me during office hours at some point between week 4 and week 8
instead of writing one analytical reaction. This will help me get to know more about you and
to find out how to best direct the course. Walk-in office meetings are always welcome but
it’s best to set up appointments via Bluestar.
~
More specifically: ~attendance: more than two absences will affect your grade negatively—
your average attendance will be factored in to the above percentage in addition to
participation and reactions; only documented absences will be excused at the discretion of
the professor; absences must be documented with Dean of Students when possible

~You must turn in 9 or 10 reactions total*; 3 of these must be turned in prior to the first
exam and receive a SAT or SAT/SAT-; absolutely no reactions will be accepted after the last

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day of class. The reactions should be: maximum, one page (no less than half a page); double
spaced, 12 point font, normal margins, Times New Roman. If you use the author’s words,
make sure you put the words in quotation marks and give the page number in parentheses
(no footnote necessary); these reactions should help you to study for the exams and
maintain focus on the theme for that assignment; please number the paragraphs for your
records as well as mine (save all reactions until the course is over, in case there are disparities
in your record keeping and mine).

~reactions:
à you can choose when you write reactions but they must be turned in at the beginning of
class time for the specific texts you have chosen to discuss; 3 of these must be turned in prior
to the first exam and must receive a SAT or SAT/SAT-; and absolutely no reactions will be
accepted after the last day of class.

àplease focus on longer assignments more and devote less space to shorter ones (e.g. if a
chapter is assigned with a short article, most of your reaction should focus on the longer
reading and you should write a few analytical sentences on the shorter article)

àno emailed reactions will be accepted; all reactions are due at the beginning of class

àthese reactions should analyze the main themes of the readings (What are the main
concepts? The most important questions authors raise? What are solutions proposed?)

àmake sure you identify and analyze key ideas and claims rather than just describing what
the author writes

àmake sure you write the reaction after you have read the entire reading

àthis reaction should not be a list but written in prose and it should focus on specific ideas
of each author; for example, you do not need to state that an author discusses politics or
political theory but rather what his specific arguments are and/or the most important
questions the author raises

àthe reaction should not be considered a journal (or a rant) and you do not need to agree
(or disagree) with the author’s ideas; nor do you need to “outsmart” the author; instead, you
want to show that you know how to identify the main themes of the assigned reading and
can explain how these concepts are linked; ideally you can suspend your own beliefs and
emotions and simply enter into the text; the goal is to show you can “speak the author’s
language”

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àmake sure the reaction is readable—if you have trouble writing your reactions, DePaul has
a writing center that will proofread drafts (by appointment)

àall reactions should be double spaced, Times New Roman, with normal margins and at least
¾ of a page long

àI expect there to be a learning curve—for example, I expect that if an author is difficult to

understand that by the second reading, you understand the text more (because we have gone
over it in class and you are now used to the author’s language); second, I expect you to
respond to feedback on the reaction

àmake sure you discuss ideas only—please do not evaluate the emotional state of the
author, “read between the lines” or discuss his or her writing style (unless it is relevant to
political theory);

àusing quotes—this is fine, although they should be minimized in a reaction—you should

use quotation marks about the word, phrase or sentence of the author and then provide the
page number in parentheses; explain all quotes and introduce them in your own words

àplagiarism: any specific words, phrases or sentences from text must have quotation marks
around them and the page number should be given; merely changing a letter (for example,
Hobbes’ “trayne” is changed to “train”) or simply changing a few words but retaining the
syntax or diction of the author is still plagiarism—you must rephrase the idea entirely and in
contemporary language (which includes contemporary spelling and avoiding Old English) to
avoid plagiarism; so, for example, using parts of an author’s sentence and filling in some of
your words is called “mosaic plagiarism”; using a specific word that the author uses but not
using quotation marks is plagiarism; or writing as if the idea were your own….

àyou will receive a mark of SAT (good job/satisfactory), SAT+ (exceeds expectations—
excellent), or SAT- (below course requirements/unsatisfactory)—2 or more SAT-s will
result in no credit for those and any future reactions receiving a SAT-. If you do not discuss
all authors assigned, you will automatically receive a SAT- or NC (no credit) depending on
the quality of what you did write.

àPlease do not write more than one page—this is true even if there are multiple authors—
you should write a total of one page per class (no less than half a page, no more than one
page); these should help you to study for the exams and maintain focus on the themes for
that assignment; please number the reactions for your records as well as mine; finally, make
sure that all your ideas are original and not culled from the internet—not only is this
cheating, but the information you find will most likely be wrong or highly distorted.

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~reading: please do not fall behind on the readings—all are theoretical in nature and cannot
simply be read the night before an exam; please bring all readings to class; readings listed on
the syllabus should be read by the beginning of that class; please read and interpret these texts
yourself and do not rely on information from the internet—much of this information is
incorrect

~participation: it is essential that participation is related to the topic at hand; digressions or

personal stories do not count towards a grade; second, there must be respect for all opinions
in order to have a good class discussion and all discussion must be kept confidential; civility
in the classroom is expected at all times

~use of technology during class time is not allowed—if a student is surfing the web or using
his/her cell phone (including texting), s/he will be asked to leave and marked absent for that
day; if this happens a second time, the student will be required to meet with the professor to
discuss disciplinary measures; cell phones may be put on vibrate as long as they do not
distract the class; you must ask the professor for permission to use technology each and every
time (and only in extenuating circumstances)
~
schedule:
week 1—introduction + Washington Consensus + post-W C
1a introduction Tues, 1/7
_______________________________

1b Washington Consensus Thurs, 1/9

~Stiglitz: read preface and pp 3—52
+
~Tina Rosenberg, “Reverse Foreign Aid,” New York Times Magazine, March 25, 2007, 16—20,
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/magazine/25wwlnidealab.t.html
_______________________________
week 2-- post-Washington Consensus + corruption as resistance
2a post-Washington Consensus Tues, 1/14
~Ziya Önis, Fikret Senses—“Rethinking the Emerging Post-Washington Consensus,” in
Development and Change 36, no. 2 (March 2005): 263—290. [obtain through DePaul Library
website portal]
+
~Moises Naim, “Washington Consensus or Washington Confusion?” Foreign Policy 118 (Spring
2000): 86—103. [obtain through DePaul Library website portal]
+
~ Dani Rodrik. “Goodbye Washington Consensus, Hello Washington Confusion? A Review of
the World Bank's Economic Growth in the 1990s: Learning from a Decade of Reform,” Journal
of Economic Literature. Vol. XLIV (December 2006), pp. 973-987. [obtain through DePaul
Library website portal]
_______________________________

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2b corruption and resistance (or: corruption as resistance) Thurs, 1/16
~James C. Scott, “The Analysis of Corruption in Developing Nations,” Comparative Studies in
Society and History 11, no. 3 (June, 1969): 315—341, [obtain through DePaul Library website
portal—use Jstor as your search engine]
+
~James Scott, Weapons of the Weak, xv—xxii
+
~India: “At the Mercy of the Water Mafia,” Foreign Policy,
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/17/at-the-mercy-of-the-water-mafia-india-delhi-tanker-gang-
scarcity/
_______________________________
week 3— United Nations + gender, race, development
3a The United Nations + gender Tues, 1/21
~J. Oloka-Onyango, Deepika Udagama, U.N. Press Release, “Globalization and Its Impact on
the Full Enjoyment of Human Rights,” June 15, 2000,
https://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/222-un/47466.html
(this looks incredibly long but the numbers are for paragraphs and not pages; the endnotes take
up a significant amount of space also)
+
~Amartya Sen, “More Than 100 Million Women Are Missing,” New York Times, December 20,
1990, http://www.ouazad.com/nyustats/resources/reading-week1.pdf
+
~Nicholas Kristof, “’Big Government’ Looks Great When There is None,” New York Times,
March 17, 2016 (available through DePaul University Library portal)
_______________________________

3b gender—India, Philippines Thurs, 1/23

~ Natasha Behl, “Situated Citizenship: Understanding Indian Citizenship Through Women’s
Exclusion,” Politics, Groups and Identities, 17 June 2014, available through academia.edu (you
would need to sign in through Facebook):
https://www.academia.edu/7406815/Situated_Citizenship_Understanding_Sikh_Citizenship_thro
ugh_Women_s_Exclusion?auto=download
+
~Rhacel Parreñas, Servants of Globalization, ch. 1 (pp 1—27)
_______________________________
week 4— Philippines + sweatshops/export-manufacturing
4a sweatshops/export-manufacturing + Philippines Tues, 1/28
~John Miller, “Why Economists Are Wrong about Sweatshops and the Antisweatshop
Movement,” Challenge 46 (2003): 93—122
http://www.fordschool.umich.edu/rsie/acit/Documents/Miller-Challenge.doc
+
~Paul Krugman, “In Praise of Cheap Labour: Bad Jobs at Bad Wages are Better Than No Jobs
At All,” http://slate.msn.com/id/1918/
+
~Parreñas, Servants of Globalization, ch. 2—pp 28—52
_______________________________

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4b Parreñas, Servants of Globalization—ch.s 5 + conclusion Thurs, 1/30
_______________________________

week 5—midterm + Philippines + sweatshops/export-manufacturing

5a midterm—exam Tues, 2/4
_______________________________

5b Saskia Sassen, Globalization and Its Discontents—ch.s 7, 8 Thurs, 2/6

(available on D2L)
_______________________________
week 6—Mexico, China
6a —Mexico, China
~ Melissa Wright, Disposable Women and Other Myths, ch.s 1, 2 Tues, 2/11
_______________________________

6b Melissa Wright, Disposable Women and Other Myths, ch.s 3, 4 Thurs, 2/13
_______________________________
week 7— Mexico, China + India
7a Melissa Wright, Disposable Women and Other Myths, ch.s 5, 6 Tues, 2/18
_______________________________

7b Gupta—ch 1 (pp 1—38), part of ch 2 (pp 55—63, 66—71) Thurs, 2/20

_______________________________
week 8— India + resistance to development
8a Gupta part of ch 2 (pp 71—72), ch. 6 (191—233) Tues, 2/25
_______________________________

8b Gupta ch. 7 (pp 237—278), Epilogue (279—294) Thurs, 2/27

_______________________________
week 9—resistance to development
9a —resistance to development Tues, 3/3
~ James Scott, Weapons of the Weak, ch. 1 and pp 28—37
_______________________________

9b James Scott, Weapons of the Weak, ch. 3 Thurs, 3/5

_______________________________
week 10— resistance to development
10a James Scott, Weapons of the Weak, ch. 5 Tues, 3/10
_______________________________

10b James Scott, Weapons of the Weak, ch. 8 + projects Thurs, 3/12
_______________________________

~final presentations:

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 ~discussing one development project (must fit definitions from class) and
explanation/presentation of an NGO that is doing something to solve the problem; presentations
will be brief (maximum of 5 minutes)—you must use computer visuals and must explain why
this group is important (please do not just cite facts); a written paragraph explaining the group
and why it is relevant to the class should be handed in, with a list of sources (hard copy)