Politics in the Developing World (Poli218)
Offered most semesters
Not open to seniors
MOI: Understanding Society
This course introduces politics in the developing world. We will study how different perspectives on government, development and political change are shaped by our understanding of the developing world. In particular, we will trace the role of international development in postcolonial countries to understand how this shapes global politics, as well as the relationship between “first world” and “third world” countries.
Part I: Nationalism & Globalization in the Postcolony
We will begin by interrogating the ways that the First World has understood the Third World. We will also delve into the wonderful world of postcolonial politics and the project of Development.
Part II: ¿Economic Growth = Development?
Buy Nothing Day (Adbusters)
We will look at development debates, focusing on how political economy influenced the rise of development as an international project following WWII with decolonization. We will compare dependency and neoliberal critiques of state-led and market-led development.
Part III: Political Change
Egyptians March in Tahrir Square to Support U.S. Protests (Boing Boing)
In the last part of the course, we will look at how social movements and international solidarity can be vehicles for political change. In so doing, we will ask how people in the developing world use, reject, and transform the practice of development.