This course is primarily concerned with issues of development politics and political change arising in the context of economic development in the "third world" countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It is divided into three units. The first unit deals with how the ideas and reality of a "third world" have emerged, and how its emergence and development have been shaped by its encounter with the Western societies. The second unit takes up the politics of development. We will critically examine the dominant conceptualizations of development, focusing on various theories of development as well as the international dimensions of development politics. As a case study, we will also discuss the development experiences of East Asian economies in this unit. For the final unit, we will look more closely at political development itself by focusing on the state-building experiences of developing countries, and on the relations between development and democracy.

Since we are meeting only once a week, it is important that you complete all assigned readings for the week prior to coming to the class on Thursday evening. You are strongly encouraged to participate actively in class discussions. You will be asked to evaluate your own class participation efforts at the end of the class, the result of which will count toward your final grade.

Texts:

All books are available for purchase in the H.D. Smith bookstore. All except the last book are also on reserve at the Wilson library. Multiple copies of the articles assigned for the class are also on reserve at the library.

Peter Preston, Development Theories: an Introduction. Blackwell, 1997.

Graham Hancock, Lords of Poverty. Atlantic Monthly, 1989

Ezra Vogel, The Four Little Dragons. Harvard, 1991.

Joel Migdal, Strong Societies and Weak States. Princeton, 1988.

Howard Wiarda, ed., Non-Western Theories of Development. Harcourt Brace, 1999

There will be two in-class exams for the course, and one paper assignment due on June 3, 1999. The exams will involve term identifications and short essay questions. The final exam will cover materials discussed in the entire course. Students are responsible both for the assigned readings and for materials presented in lectures. The short paper should be between 5-7 pages in length. A paper topic will be distributed at least two weeks before its due date. All three exercises will count equally, that is 30% each, toward your final grade. The remaining 10% of your grade will be based on your class participation.

Make-up exams will not be permitted unless the student notifies the instructor in advance and presents written documentation of the circumstances preventing him/her from taking the regular exam. Late paper will be marked down a letter grade per week it is late. Incompletes will only be granted in exceptional circumstances (for example, medical reasons or personal emergency), and with the prior explicit approval of the instructor.

* A word on class participation grade. At the end of the course, each of you will be asked to assign yourself a grade on a 1-10 scale (with 1 denoting minimal participation, 10 maximum participation). Your self-evaluation should be based on the following criteria: a) have you attended each and every class during the quarter? b) have you raised questions or made comments several times during the class? c) have you contacted the instructor or TA after class to discuss course-related materials. If your answers to all three questions are positive, you definitely should assign yourself 10 points. Otherwise, assign a number that you think reflects your participation efforts. This part of the grade is based on an honor system. Your instructor or TA will not change your self-evaluation unless there is serious discrepancy between your own assessment and ours.

April 1. Introduction to the class: what is the Third World? How did it come about?

Preston, pp.19-27. Wiarda, chapter 4.

April 8. Trade, Colonialism and the Third World

Preston, pp.137-152.

Video: Ali Mazruli, "The Africans: Tools of Exploitation." Walter Lib. VT L972.4

April 15. Capitalist development and the Third World

Migdal, pp.45-96, Appendix B.

April 22. What is Development? Mainstream theories of development

Preston, pp.153-212. Wiarda, chapter 1.

Francis Fukuyama, "The End of History?" 1989. (On reserve)

(Supplementary, Preston, pp. 48-64; 84-113)

April 29. Critiques of development: Marxism, populism and indigenous responses (II)

Preston, pp.65-83; 213-250. Wiarda, Chapters 3, 6, 9.

(Supplementary, Preston, pp. 65-83)

Video: Helena Norberg-Hodge, "The Future of the Past."

May 6. International aid and development

Hancock, introduction, pp.35-76, 111-193, conclusion.

May 13. Politics of development: East Asian experience

Ezra Vogel, entire book. Wiarda, chapter 2.

May 20. Political development (I): focusing on the third world state

Joel Migdal, pp.97-172, Appendix A. Wiarda, chapter 5

Video: Ali Mazruli, "The Africans: In Search of Stability." Walter Lib. VT L972.6

May 27. Political development (II): state-society Interaction

Joel Migdal, Part III, pp.177-277

June 3: The question of democracy and development

Preston, pp.251-269; 271-314.

C. Douglas Lummis, "Anti-democratic Development." 1996. (On reserve)

William I Robinson, "Pushing Polyarchy." 1995. (On reserve)