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So242 Syllab

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18 views4 pages

So242 Syllab

Uploaded by

Oli Li
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The purpose of this course is to broaden your economic, cultural, political, and social knowledge of the

poorer countries and poorer people of the world, in contemporary and historical perspective. I plan to
highlight cross-national and cross-regional similarities and differences. I hope you leave the course not only
well informed, but also with a new interest in and commitment to the majority of the world’s people less
fortunate than us. Hopefully in your own way you will, in the future, help make the world a better place,
inspired by the course.

Kidder, Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Paul Farmer


Sachs, The End of Poverty
Perkins, Confessions of An Economic Hit Man
Adler, The World of Mexican Migrants
Beah, Long-Way Gone
Kristof & WuDunn, Half the Sky ,
Katherine Boo, Behind the Beautiful Forevers

All articles are on reserve in Mugar Library and on the web, in Blackboard. PLEASE NOTE THAT I
WILL ADD A FEW READINGS AS WE PROCEED THROUGH THE COURSE

The dates listed below are approximate. Dates are likely to be modified somewhat, depending on student
interest and discussion.

I. Introduction: Basic Terms Used in the Class (Sept 3-12)

Film: BATAM [Sept 12]

Development for whom?


See: Steven Greenhouse, “Some Retailers Rethink Roles in Bangladesh,” New York Times
May 2, 2013, p. 1

Stephanie Clifford, “Some Retailers Reveal Where and How That T-Shirt is Made,” New
York Times May 9, 2013, p. 1

Jim Yardley, “Recalling Fire’s Horror and Exposing Global Brands’ Safety Gap,” New York
Times, December 7, 2012, p. 1

II. Development Overview: Historical Shifts in Development Strategies, Regional Comparisons,


Global Power and Its Impact on LDCs (Sept. 17-Oct 1)

Sachs, The End of Poverty SEPT 19 [NOTE: This is a lengthy, serious book. Budget your time
to complete through page 209 by the time of class discussion.
ASSIGNMENT: DISCUSSION OF THE BOOK. SUBMIT 3 QUESTIONS AT THE
START OF CLASS. Be prepared to discuss the book in class

Read Chapters 1-6, 8-10

Perkins, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man Sept 26


ASSIGNMENT: SUBMIT 3 QUESTIONS BASED ON THE BOOK, TURN THEM IN
AT THE START OF CLASS, FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

III. Theories of Development (Oct 3-8)

[read articles/book in Section IV]

1
QUIZ: on concepts/terms [worth 25 points] October 8
IV. Foreign Aid, Poverty and Poverty Alleviation (OCT 10)

Kidder, Mountains Beyond Mountains (OCT 10)

ASSIGNMENT: DISCUSSION OF THE BOOK. Submit 3 questions at the start


of class. Be prepared to discuss the book in class.

It’s the Economy

Jacob Goldstein, “Is It Nuts to Give to the


Poor Without Strings Attached?,” New
York Times Magazine, August 18, 2013
Sachs, End of Poverty, Chapters 12-17
Yanus, “Gramean Bank,” GI, 191-94
Globe articles [on-line]
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21565617-bangladesh-has-dysfunctional-
politics-and-stunted-private-sector-yet-it-has-been-surprisingly

OCTOBER 15—NO CLASS, MONDAY CLASSES

V. Culture and Education (OCT 17)

Galeota and Legrain, “Is the World a Victim of American Cultural Imperialism?”, Taking Sides
237-50
Inglehart & Norris, “The True Clash of Civilizations,” Developing World, 197-203
Marglin, “Development as Poison,” Developing World 2005: 15-19
The Economist, “A Political Awakening,” Global Politics 2005: 98-101.
Kristof & WuDunn, Half the Sky—Chapters 4, 5, 9 and 10

Be prepared to discuss these articles in class

VI. Religion and Social Change (OCT 22)

Virginia Garrard-Burnett and David Stoll (ed), Rethinking Protestantism in Latin America ,
Stoll, Introduction, 1-19
Garrard-Burnett, “Conclusion,” 199-210
Woodward, “The Changing Face of the Church,” Newsweek 46-51
Bulliet, “The Crisis Within Islam,” DW 2003/04, pp 84-88
Levitt, God Needs No Passport: Immigrants and the Changing American Religious Landscape [pages
to be assigned]

VII. Global Political Issues (OCT 24-29)

Regional Patterns

2
*Jost and Ives-Halperin,“Democracy in the Arab World,” Global Issues, 181-204
*Masci,“Trouble in South America, “ Global Issues, 207-27
*Masci, “Aiding Africa,” Global Issues, 229-49

Familiarize yourself with similarities and differences between conditions in the Arab, South
American, and African world.

BEAH, LONG WAY GONE (OCT 24)


ASSIGNMENT: SUBMIT 3 QUESTIONS FOR IN-CLASS DISCUSSION

VIII. Drugs, Development, and U.S. Foreign Policy (OCT 31)

Mayor, “Winning the Fight Against Drugs,” Taking Sides, 186-95


Bertram et al, Drug War Politics, 9-31

CHECK IT OUT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0atL1HSwi8

NOV 7—FIRST ESSAY EXAM [worth 75 points]

VIII. Urbanization and Immigration (NOV 12-NOV 21)

Boo, Behind the Beautiful Forevers [NOV 12]


[SUBMIT 3 QUESTIONS AT START OF CLASS]

Hellman, The World of Mexican Migrants


ASSIGNMENT: SUBMIT 3 QUESTIONS FOR IN-CLASS
DISCUSSION OF THE BOOK [NOV 21]

ARTICLES RECOMMENDED THAT YOU CONSULT:


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303459004577362211298534158.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-04-23/mexican-immigration-united-states/54487564/1

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/24/us/mexican-immigration-to-united-states-slows.html

As Immigrants Take On American Habits, Their Health Suffers


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/health/the-health-toll-of-
immigration.html?_r=0&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1368962039-
AUspNcbhoqFONw+chdT+TQ

By SABRINA TAVERNISE
A growing body of research has shown that the longer immigrants live in America, the worse their rates of
heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

3
DEC 3: 2nd quiz on terms, worth 25 points
IX. Social Aspects of Development [NOV 26-DEC 10]

A. Women and Children

Nelson, Violence Against Women,” GI, 200-04


Yanus, “Gramean Bank,” GI, 191-94 [REREAD]
New York Times article: “Microcredit is Imperiled in India by Defaults”

KRISTOF & WUDUNN, HALF THE SKY –Chapters 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12-14


Be prepared to discuss on DEC 5

PBS has a four hour special on Half the Sky premiering on October 1 and 2. Here is the link to the site
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/half-the-sky/ .

Its A Girl Documentary or Girl Rising. I have seen them both and they are both great. Girl Rising has
less disturbing images which might be good for showing to a large group. They would be a great
supplement to the Half the Sky reading. http://www.itsagirlmovie.com/ and http://girlrising.com/

C. Population, Food,Water, Health Welfare [if time permits]


Bearak, “Why People Starve,” Developing World 2005: 25-32.
Siegel, “Withholding the Cure,” Developing World 2005: 184-87
Cowley, “Medicine without Doctors,” Global Issues 2005: 169-71
Sachs, Common Wealth, pp 159-202 [Global Population Dynamics}
Finnegan, “The World is Running Out of Fresh Water and the Fight to Control It Has
Begun, New Yorker 2002 [FILED AS S0242-FINNEGAN –WATER-BOLIVIA
Vandana Shiva, Stolen Harvest , Chapter 1 and 7

SECOND AND LAST ESSAY EXAM will be on DEC 10—THIS IS NOT A


FINAL EXAM. THERE WILL BE NO FINAL EXAM. THE 2ND EXAM MAINLY COVERS THE
SECOND PART OF THE COURSE. WORTH 75 points

Course requirements:
Written requirements
2 ESSAY exams
2 quizzes on TERMS
6 short assignments [not graded, but required]
1 optional, bonus assignment: interviewing people who emigrated from the Third World
Regular class attendance

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