PleasPrerequisite: SOC 100 or permission of the instructor) COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is a sociological examination of the status of the less developed countries (LDCs) in economic, political, and social arenas. Topics covered range from the question of democracy to the role of women, religion, military, climate change, terrorism, political economy, and other global, sociological and political issues. The course suggests a variety of different approaches to development and discusses the crucial role LDCs play in their interaction with the industrial world, from migration to producing raw materials, and contributing to a market for the finished products of the developed world. Rising powers such as China, India, and Brazil and the dynamics of their growth will also be discussed.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Required Resources Soomo, Understanding Development, [Webtext], (Asheville, NC: Soomo Publishing, 2013).
Note: For each Week of the course, all of the following materials in the Preparation and Evaluation portions can be accessed through the Webtext link within Blackboard. The Activities portion (discussion question) will not be located in Webtext, but rather in a separate Blackboard link within your online course shell.
Supplemental Resources Banerjee, A. and Duflo, E., Poor economics: A radical rethinking of the way to fight global poverty. (Philadelphia, PA: Perseus Books, 2011)
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Discover what is it like having to live on $1 a day.
2. Determine to what extent living on $1 a day permeates the Third World.
3. Analyze the oldest and most basic form of development.
4. Examine the history of aid and its more significant successes and failures.
5. Discover how infrastructure has improved from its earliest efforts in the developing world.
6. Evaluate the extent to which local improvement in developing countries has succeeded.
7. Identify how schools help students make intelligent economic choices.
8. Determine how human capital is used and what effect gender disparity has on these decisions.
9. Analyze how funding in the form of aid, investment, and loans moves from industrialized nations to the developing world to alleviate the problems caused by warfare.
10. Analyze what the North/South divide means.
11. Determine what role health plays in developing economies.
12. Assess the difference between programs that provide help and those that enable self-help.
13. Decide what strategies are working for developing rural communities.
14. Assess the roles that culture and religion play in rural development.
15. Examine the role that the International Monetary Fund and World Bank play in transfers and the conditions they set to effect this funding.
16. Determine what non-state investment from multinational corporations (MNCs) consists of.
17. Discover what microloans are and how MNCs help exploit the use of human capital in a positive manner.
18. Assess the ways that high wages, an open economy and controlling inflation can contribute to success for developing states.
19. Determine why private investment, open political competition and the intelligent use of natural resources can serve as incentives to further economic development.
20. Decide why good governance, a sound financial system, and a fair system of judicial justice are necessary to development.
21. Assess why enforceable environmental regulations are critical to sustaining development.
22. Use technology and information resources to research issues in sociology of developing countries.
23. Write clearly and concisely about sociology of developing countries using proper writing mechanics.
WEEKLY COURSE SCHEDULE The standard requirement for a 4.5 credit hour course is for students to spend 13.5 hours in weekly work. This includes preparation, activities, and evaluation regardless of delivery mode. Week Preparation, Activities, and Evaluation Points 1 Preparation (Note: Access materials through the Webtext link in BlackBoard)
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development, Chapter 1 "The Other Half" o Introduction o What Makes a Country "Developing"? o Timeline of Aid o The End of Poverty: Where are the Poor? o Organization Spotlight: The United Nations o Writing Tips: Thesis and Sources
• Video (in Webtext) o Living on One - Episode 1: The First Step o Living on One - Episode 5: We Need a Job o The United Nations: It's Your World Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
2 Preparation
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development Chapter 2 "International Finance" o Introduction o Turnaround o Organization Spotlight: The EBRD o Writing Tips: Outline and Argument
• Videos (in Webtext) o What is the World Bank? o About the IMF • Audio (in Webtext) o What Keeps Countries Poor? o Egypt Negotiates IMF Loan Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
30 3 Preparation
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development Chapter 3 "War and Peace" o Introduction o Breaking the Conflict Trap o Organization Spotlight: Doctors Without Borders o Writing Tips: Citations and Evidence
• Video (in Webtext) o The Ghost City o About Doctors Without Borders Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
30 4 Preparation
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development Chapter 4 "Institutions" o Introduction o Why Nations Fail o Organization Spotlight: Freedom House
• Video (in Webtext) o Daron Acemoglu on "Why Nations Fail"
• Research Tools: o World Factbook Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
• Assignment 1: The Effects of War and Peace on Foreign Aid
30 200 5 Preparation
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development Chapter 5 "Growing Cities" o Introduction o Shadow Cities o Organization Spotlight: SPIN Rocinha
• Video (in Webtext) o Welcome to Lagos Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
• Midterm Exam Part 1: Sections 1-4 of lectures
• Midterm Exam Part 2: Sections 1-4 of Webtext
30 100 100 6 Preparation
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development Chapter 6 "Education" o Introduction o Poor Economics o Organization Spotlight: Pratham
• Video (in Webtext) o A Small Act o Living on One - Episode 7: (Not) Going to School • Research Tools o World Factbook o Gapminder Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
30 7 Preparation
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development Chapter 7 "Health" o Introduction o Poor Economics o Organization Spotlight: The Gates Foundation
• Videos (in Webtext) o Living on One - Episode 2: Water from a Pipe? o Hans Rosling: New Insights on Poverty • Audio (in Webtext) o Why Bill Gates Fights Diseases Abroad Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
20
30 8 Preparation
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development Chapter 8 "The Trouble with Aid" o To Hell with Good Intentions o Lag in Confronting Climate Woes o Organization Spotlight: charity: water
• Video (in Webtext) o The Peace Corps o When NGOs Fail o No More Aid to Africa o Kristen Bell Visits Northern Ethiopia o Develop or Die: Malaysia Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
20
30 9 Preparation
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development
Chapter 9
"What Does Success Look Like? o Introduction o The End of Poverty o Rwanda Rising o Organization Spotlight: Grameen Bank
• Video (in Webtext) o RESULTS and Grameen Bank: Microfinance o Living on One - Episode 6: Extreme Budgeting
• Audio (in Webtext) o Chile Moves On Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
• Assignment 2: Lending Institutions, Health Care, and Human Capital
20
30 200 10 Preparation
• Reading(s), from Understanding Development Chapter 10 "Next Steps" o Introduction o The MDGs o Organization Spotlight: Acumen o Transforming Women
• Videos (in Webtext) o Reinventing the lead-acid battery o ReadySet Entrepreneur Starts Successful Business o Jacqueline Novogratz: Investing in Africa's Own Solutions
• Audio (in Webtext) o The Left-Behind Kids Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Questions (in Webtext)
30 11 Preparation
• Reading(s): None Activities
• Discussion Evaluation
• Final Exam Part 1: Sections 5-10 of lectures
• Final Exam Part 2: Sections 5-10 of Webtext