SOCIOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT
  Fall 2007
TR, 9:30-10:45, WH102

Audibles on electronic devices must be turned off in class

Judi Kessler
Office: Wallace LL #3
Office Hours: M-R, 1-2, & by Appt.
Tel.: 457-2165
e-mail: jkessler@monm.edu

Course Description:
 

In this participatory class, we will examine post-colonial era development at the national and international level, with particular attention to its global roots and dimensions since World War II. Our geographical focus will be the “Third World, in which resides about 80 percent of the world’s population. Traditionally the concept of development has been closely linked with the modernization and industrialization of agrarian societies. Consequently, the process of development is sometimes equated with the narrower idea of “economic development.” In this class we will take a broader view of development, as understood to be human development.  According to the United Nations, genuine development should
 

enlarge the range of people’s choices to make development more democratic and participatory. These choices should include access to income and employment opportunities, education and health, and a clean and safe physical environment. Each individual should also have the opportunity to participate fully in community decisions and to enjoy human, economic, and political freedoms (United Nations Human Development Report, 1990).
 

As we will learn, economic development has not translated into human development for much of the world’s population. Moreover, certain groups, such as women, children, and indigenous peoples have been ignored and marginalized by mainstream and dominant development schemes.
   

The course begins with an introductory historical overview, including a review of important – but often difficult to define - concepts and terms, such as “development,” globalization,” and the “Third World.”  We will discuss major development perspectives, such as Modernization and Dependency; an understanding of these frameworks will assist us in analyzing what follows. The remainder of the course will be devoted to study and discussion of the post-World War II development project and the globalization project of the last 20 years.  In addition, throughout the course we will examine the consequences of development and globalization for selected social categories, especially gender. We will finish up by taking a second look at the national and global development projects, including the diverse anti-globalization movements around the world.
 

Email, the Network, and the Syllabus:

The on-line syllabus is dynamic – it will be subject to multiple minor modifications over the semester. Assignment instructions, submission dates, exam dates, and changes to the reading schedule are posted on the on-line syllabus. It is the student’s responsibility to review the on-line syllabus for changes at least once a week.

Important class info also will be communicated via email. It is the student’s responsibility to review email messages for class info at least once a day.

 

Required Readings:
 

1. McMichael. Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective (3rd Ed)

2. Sernau. Global Problems: The Search for Equity, Peace, and Sustainability

3. Gender and Development articles – handouts in class

4. other handouts
 

Course Evaluations:
 

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

First Exam                                20%
Second Exam                           20%
Third (final) Exam                     20%

Final Project - instructions         20%
Discussion participation,

unannounced quizzes,
other in-class work,
& attendance                            20%

 

Turnitin.com class ID: 1950605; password: development
Click here for directions for first-time turnitin users

 

Exams:

The first and second exams will be administered in class. The third exam will be a take-home assignment. All exams will be essay format.
 

Final Project:

The final project will be a paper/presentation devoted to an issue of development relevant to this course. The paper and presentation can be either an individual or group effort, due at the end of the semester. If you work in a group, you will receive an individual grade for your contribution to the project and a group grade for the project as a whole. We will discuss the final project in detail early in the semester.

 

In-Class Work:
 

From time to time there may be unannounced quizzes on recent reading assignments (especially during the final 3 weeks of the semestser), and short individual and group assignments (such as facilitating discussion of selected assigned readings).

Active participation in class discussions is a course requirement. Students are expected to attend all class meetings, complete the assigned readings prior to class, and actively participate in class discussions. If it becomes apparent during class discussions that readings are not being completed on time, quizzes and other reading-related assignments will be added to the course syllabus. Excessive absences and late arrivals for any reason, along with poor class participation, will negatively impact your final grade.
Always bring copies of the week’s assigned readings with you to class.
 

Attendance Policy:

As mentioned above, excessive absences/late arrivals will understandably impact your participation grade (i.e., you cannot participate if you are not in class). When absent, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor via email or phone and to check with a trusted classmate for lecture notes, announcements, and any other important material.

 

An absence on November 20th will lower your discussion participation/attendance grade by one letter grade.
 

Special Needs:

Students with special needs should make appropriate arrangements with the Mellinger Learning Center (contact Dean Tucker at X2257) and notify the professor the first week of class.
 

Academic Integrity:
 

All papers (take-home final and final project) submitted for this course will be analyzed by “turnitin.com,” an on-line anti-plagiarism program.

In writing course papers, students must document (cite both in-text and on a reference page) all words and ideas that are borrowed from any source. Direct quotations should be used sparingly and must be placed within quotation marks.  Papers must represent research conducted for the course in which they were assigned and no other; it is not appropriate to submit a paper that has already been or will be submitted for another course. Finally, papers must be the products of the student’s own work.  Papers (or sections of papers, in the case of the group project) written by anyone other than the student, including those purchased from commercial research services, are plagiarized products.

Students found to have engaged in any form of academic dishonesty – intentional or unintentional, and including, but not limited to plagiarism - will fail this course.  In addition, the College may choose to impose further sanctions, including dismissal or expulsion.  The instructor will report all incidents of academic dishonesty to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and documentation will be placed in the student’s file.

Reading/Exam/Assignment Schedule

(subject to revision)

DSC: Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective
GP: Global Problems: The Search for Equity, Peace, and Sustainability

Each week’s assigned readings are to be completed by class on Tuesday

Week 1 – Aug. 28-30
Development & Globalization (DSC, xxiii-xxxix)

Week 2 – Sept. 4-6
Class: A World of Rich and Poor (GP, C 1)

Week 3 – Sept. 11-13
Instituting the Development Project (DSC, C 1)

Week 4 – Sept. 18-20
The Development Project: International Dimensions (DSC, C 2)

Week 5 – Sept. 25-27
The Global Economy Reborn/Work: The Global Assembly Line (DSC, C 3; GP, C 2)

First Exam, Thursday, Sept. 27th - Study Guide

Week 6 – Oct. 2-4
Film: The Global Banquet (in class)
Continue with The Global Economy Reborn/Work: The Global Assembly Line (DSC,
C 3; GP, C 2)

Deadline for research paper topic approval – Thursday, Oct. 4th

Week 7 – Oct. 9-11
Finish GP, C2
Gender, Family, & Development (GP, C 3)

Week 8 – Oct. 18 (no class, Oct. 16)
Gender and Development – student-led discussions - will begin either 10/18 or 10/23

Discussion materials to be provided

Week 9 – Oct. 23-25
Finish student-led discussions, if necessary
The Debt Regime (DSC, pp 129-139)
Implementing Globalization as a Project (DSC, C 5)

Week 10 – Oct. 30 - Nov. 1
Finish - Implementing Globalization as a Project (DSC, C 5)
The Globalization Project: Disharmonies (DSC, C 6)

Week 11 – Nov. 6-8

Second exam, Tuesday, Nov. 13th - Study Guide

Expect quizzes over material from weeks 11-15

Week 12 – Nov. 13-15
Finish "Disharmonies"

Week 13 – Nov. 20 (No class, Nov. 22)
Population & Health: Only the Poor Die Young (GP, C 10)

Week 14/15 – Nov. 27-29/Dec. 4-6
Finish "Population"
Global Development & Its Counter-movements (DSC, C 7)
Whither Development? (DSC, C 8)

Presentation of Final Projects:
Thursday, Dec. 6th - Ashley/Lauren, Tim/Kellie
Tuesday, Dec. 11th - Amanda/Trey

(last day of college classes – Dec. 12)

Final Project Paper due Dec. 11th in class
Final (take-home) Exam – due Monday, Dec. 17th

**PLEASE NOTE**
 

Students’ grades in this course may be used for purposes of Department assessment and/or assessment of the Sociology-Anthropology Major