Spring 2014
RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
New Brunswick, NJ 08903
Fall 2013: Course #10:762:303
Class meets: Thursday 1:10-4:10 PM
Murray Hall 114- CAC
Email: aegraham@rci.rutgers.edu
Instructor: Ann Graham
Office hours: By appointment
Mondays 12:30 – 3 pm or
Thursdays 11:30-1
Phone: 201-424-0485
GLOBAL POVERTY
10:762:303.
This course focuses on poverty, its causes and consequences throughout the world.
We will have an opportunity to explore in depth the issues of poverty and inequity
in developing nations. We will analyze the larger economic, social and political
forces that shape the lives of the poor and look at how the poor make decisions
given the constraints of their lives. At the same, time we will work to understand
the complexity and dignity of their lives.
Goals
Students are able to:
1. Learn a positive appreciation of the social and economic contributions of the
poor, an understanding of the problems they face, and how they are
addressed.
2. Analyze the degree to which forms of human difference shape a person’s
experiences of and perspectives on the world
3. Analyze issues of social justice across local and global contexts
4. Identify and critically assess ethical issues in social science and history
5. Understand different theories about human culture, social identity, economic
entities, political systems, and other forms of social organizations
6. Apply concepts about humans and social behavior to particular questions or
situations
The requirements.
1. All students are expected to read the assignments before class and come prepared to
discuss the material. This is a participatory seminar, not a lecture course. Do not expect
that you can complete the readings in one night simply because there are only two
chapters or articles to read. Some class time will also be dedicated to discussions of
current news, group activities and multi-media presentations. When you are reading
materials for the course, please keep in mind the following questions:
a. Who are the important actors in this narrative? What are the assumptions in
their discussion or definition of poverty? Who is impacted by such assumptions?
How do such assumptions or definitions of poverty influence policies and
responses? How does who is involved in the debate impact resulting definitions and
policy or project responses to poverty? Who actually benefits from a policy or
project? Who does not?
2. Written requirements include one review of the weekly readings, which will be
collected, graded, and returned the following week, one in-class mid term exam, and
a final presentation or paper. Deadlines are firm: all work is due on the date
indicated. In addition, the first assignment will be focused solely on collecting
information on a developing country of your choice. The one review will also
require additional research in addition to the questions on the weekly reading. The
final paper and/or presentation will also focus on your country.
3. Class participation is a major requirement. If you want to get an A in this
class, you will need to participate actively. Even if the class is large, I still expect you
to contribute.
4. Attendance is mandatory, and I will take attendance at the beginning of each
class. Students are expected to arrive on time and not depart before the end of the
double class period. Lateness will also result in a reduced grade. If you expect to
miss a class, please use the University absence reporting website
(https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra) to indicate the date and reason for your absence.
Acceptable reasons are university approved events, religious holidays, and illness.
An email is automatically sent to me. Please note that all absences must be excused.
1. a make-up exam will be allowed only for those with an official excuse
because of university activity (letter required from university director);
2. university approved personal reasons (personal illness or death in the
immediate family)
Grades are calculated as follows: 10% for first assignment, 20% for second, and 20% for
the mid-term; final examination or paper 25%; class attendance and class participation
25%. Final grades: 90-100% = A; 85-89% = B+; 80-84% = B; 75-79% = C+; 70-74% =
C; 65-69% = D; <65 = F. I will send information about the requirements of each written
assignment.
Academic honesty: All members of our community must be confident that each
person has responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, and presented his/her
work. Any effort to gain advantage not given to all students is dishonest, whether or
not the effort is successful. A violation of academic honesty is a breach of trust and
will result in penalties, including possible suspension or expulsion. When in doubt
about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, or collaboration, you may consult me or
you can go to: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/students.shtml for further info.
Cell phone and laptop policy: Turn off and put away your cell or smartphones
before class starts.. Laptop or IPad use is for note-taking only.
One required text is available in the Rutgers Bookstore: Banerjee, Abhijit V. and
Esther Duflo. Poor Economcs. New York: Public Affairs, 2011
Other required readings are posted on the class Sakai site. Other readings may be
assigned to compliment and integrate current events into the course discussions.
Week 1:
Week 2:
Week 3:
Week 4:
Week 5:
Week 6:
Week 7:
Week 8:
Week 9:
Week 10:
Week 11:
Week 12:
Week 13:
Week 14:
Outline
What is Poverty
What Drives Poverty
The Challenge of Hunger
The Challenge of Health
The Challenge of Education
Coming to the United States: Immigration’s Effect on Poor
Neighborhoods and their Schools
Poverty, Family Planning and Reproductive Rights
Mid-Term Examination (In-Class)
Risky Lives of the Poor
Specific Challenges for Women: Trafficking, Prostitution and Rape
Microfinance for the Poor: Does it Work?
Solving Poverty: Advocacy by and for the Poor
Solving Poverty: The Aid Debate, NGOs, and International and
National Policies
Final Presentation
Week 1: Thursday, January 23: Introductions, Overview: What, Why and
Where is Poverty?
Sachs, Jeffrey. The End of Poverty. New York: Penguin Press, 2005. Chapter 1
Poor Economics: Forward and Chapter 1: Think Again, Again
Week 2: Thursday, January 30: What Drives Poverty? How do countries
Develop or Not?
The End of Poverty, Chapters 2-3
Acemogulu, Daron and James A. Robinson. Why Nations Fail: The Origins of
Power, Prosperity and Poverty. New York: Crown Publishing, 2012. Chapter
2: Theories That Don’t Work.
Week 3: Thursday, February 6: The Challenge of Hunger
Poor Economics, Chapter 2: A Billion Hungry People?
Global Health Watch, The Global Food Crisis, pp. 165-178
Week 4: Thursday, February 13: The Challenge of Health
Poor Economics, Chapter 3: Low-Hanging Fruit for Better (Global) Health?
Global Health Watch, Free Universal Health Care in Ghana, pp. 119-124
Assignment One due today
Week 5: Thursday, February 20: Poverty and Education: How does Education
Suffer? What is the Impact of targeting the education of Adolescent Girls?
Poor Economics, Chapter 4: Top of the Class
Winthrop, Rebecca. Fostering Africa’s Growth through Education. Brookings
Institution
Lloyd, Cynthia. New Lessons: The Power of Educating Adolescent Girls.
Population Council, 2009. Chapters 3 and 4
Week 6: Thursday, February 27: Coming to the United States: Immigration’s
Effect on Poor Neighborhoods and their Schools
Martinez, Paola. The Dominican Republic Needs Quality Education.
theticker.org,,New York: Baruch College, January 2012.
Edward, Jane Kani. African Immigration Research. New York: Fordham
University, 2011.
Camarota, Steven A. Immigrants in the United States: A Profile of America’s
Foreign-Born Population. Washington, D.C: Center for Immigration Studies,
August 2012.
Week 7: Thursday, March 6: Women, Poverty, and Reproductive Rights
Poor Economics, Chapter 5: Pak Sudarno’s Big Family
Kristof, Nicholas and Sheryl WuDunn. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into
Opportunity for Women Worldwide. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. Chapter
7: Why Do Women Die in Childbirth?
Global Health Watch, Maternal Mortality, pp. 124-133
Week 8: Thursday, March 13: Mid-Term Examination (In-Class)
Week 9: Thursday, March 27: Risky Lives of the Poor
Poor Economics, Chapter 6: Barefoot Hedge-Fund Managers
Collins, Daryl, Jonathan Morduch, Stuart Rutherford, and Orland Ruthven.
Portfolios of the Poor: How the World’s Poor Live on $2 a Day. Princeton:
Princeton University Press, 2009, Chapter Three
Week 10: Thursday, April 3: Specific Challenges for Women: Trafficking,
Prostitution, and Rape
Half the Sky – Chapter 1 and 2: Prohibition and Prostitution
Half the Sky – Chapter 4: Rule by Rape
Bowers, Meleena. Room for Improvement: Nigeria’s Approach to Trafficking,
www.impower.org
Week 11: Thursday, April 10: Microfinance for the Poor: Does it Work?
Poor Economics, Chapters 7, 8, and 9
Sinclair, Hugh. The Dark Side of Microfinance: An Industry where the Poor
Play ‘Cameo Roles’. Knowledge@Wharton. July 18, 2012.
Assignment Two Due Today
Week 12: Thursday, April 17: Solving Poverty: Policies, Politics, Advocacy by
and for the Poor
Poor Economics, Chapter 10: Policies, Politics
Poor Economics – Conclusion
Why Nations Fail, Chapter 3: The Making of Prosperity and Poverty and
Chapter 13: Why Nations Fail Today.
Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Lab: “Raising Female Leaders” J-PAL Policy
Briefcase, April 2012
Week 13: Thursday, April 24: Solving Poverty: The AID Debate
Radelet, Steven (2006) A Primer on Foreign Aid, Washington, DC: Center for
Global Development
Easterly, William (2006), The Legend of the Big Push, in The White Man’s
Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done so much Ill and So
Little Good. New York: Penguin Press, pp. 37-55.
Week 14: Thursday, May 1: Student Presentations