Summary of Syllabus for ECON-110: The Global Majority
[A more detailed syllabus (with class dates and readings) is prepared for each semester.]
Instructor: Dr. Bernhard G. Gunter
EM: gunter@american.edu
Web: https://www.american.edu/cas/faculty/gunter.cfm
Course Objective
The main objectives of this course are to provide an introduction to (i) the plight of developing
countries, (ii) alternative paths of development, and (iii) relationships between the industrialized
and developing countries.
Course Description
This course covers the most important issues related to the development process of the global
majority. The Global Majority is defined as the about 85 percent of the world’s population living
in developing countries. The central theme of development is based on elementary economic
theory, though equally important human dimensions of development are also emphasized.
Course Structure
This course is structured into four parts. Part I analyzes the key characteristics of the global
majority, while Part II covers specific topics that determine and influence the lives of the global
majority. Part III looks at the people of the global majority and selected development topics. Part
IV analyzes human dimensions, institutions, as well as development policies.
Page 1 of 5
Course Outline
Part I:
Key Characteristics of the Global Majority
Class 1:
Class 2:
Class 3:
Class 4:
Class 5:
Class 6:
Introduction: Who is the Global Majority, what is PPP-adjusted GDP, and the MDGs
The Global Majority is Poor: Poverty is a Multi-dimensional Phenomenon
The Global Majority is Heterosexual: Population Growth, Gender Issues, Population Politics
The Global Majority is Young: Children are Our Future
The Global Majority Lives in Cities: Urbanization and Development
Research Clinic: What You Need to Know about Writing Your Research Paper
Part II:
Specific Topics that Determine or Influence the Lives of the Global Majority
Class 7:
Class 8:
Class 9:
Class 10:
Class 11:
Class 12:
Agriculture: The Lifeline of the Global Majority
Climate Change: Threatening the Global Majority
Power, Poverty, and the Global Water Crisis
The Global Majority: Unsustainably Indebted
The Global Majority: Lacking Access to Credit
Midterm Exam (Covering Parts I and II)
Part III: The People of the Global Majority & Selected Development Topics
Class 13:
Class 14:
Class 15:
Class 16:
Class 17:
Class 18:
Class 19:
Class 20:
Class 21:
Class 22:
First Movie (covering South Asia; likely: City of Joy)
South Asia, especially India & Structural Transformation
Second Movie (covering Africa; likely: Blood Diamond)
Africa & the Resource Curse
Research Clinic: How to Create Graphs with Excel
The Bottom Billion & Poverty Traps
China & Contrasting a Centrally Planned Economy with a Market Economy
Latin America, especially Brazil & Production Possibility Curve & International Trade
The Former Soviet Republics, especially Russia & the Role of Institutions
The Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia & Iran & the Rentier State
Part IV: Human Dimensions, Institutions and Policies
Class 23:
Class 24:
Class 25:
Class 26:
Class 27:
Class 28:
Class 29:
Class 30:
The Global Majority: Facing Human Rights Violations
The Global Majority and Globalization: Being Driver, Driven, or Excluded?
Governing the Global Majority: The State and the United Nations
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) & Country-level Processes to Achieve Them
Recommendations for the International System & Costs and Benefits of Achieving the MDGs
Review of Parts I-II
Review of Parts III-IV
Final Cumulative Exam
Page 2 of 5
Course Resources
a.) Academic Support Center and CAS Writing Center [“we are here for you”]
AU’s Academic Support Center (ASC) and the Writing Center of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)
provide various services and programs for any student at American University who would like help in
developing the tools necessary for their success. Please see http://www.american.edu/ocl/asc/index1.html
and http://www.american.edu/cas/writing/index.cfm for further details.
b.) Blackboard/EM [“technology is the future”]
This course will use AU’s Blackboard software. Please check your AU E-mail for any announcements. It
is your responsibility to check your AU E-mail. I acknowledge every EM I get. If you do not get my reply
within a reasonable time, please check if you sent it to the correct address (gunter@american.edu) and/or
follow up with me.
c.) Reading Material [“reading is fundamental”]
Reading material is classified into i) required, ii) light, or iii) optional reading.
(i) You should read all required reading carefully.
(ii) You can skim through the light reading.
(iii) Optional reading provides further details. Some of it may be useful for your research paper. While
you are encouraged to read some of the optional reading material, it is in no way necessary material to
excel in this course. All optional reading material is available in the Reserve section of the Bender
Library.
All required and light reading will be available electronically. It is your personal choice, possibly
reflecting your learning style, to read the material before or after class. One advantage of reading the
material before class is that you might understand the topic covered in class more easily. One advantage
of reading the material after class is that you will know on what to focus within the required reading.
While some of the reading may seem unnecessary as we cover the most important issues in class, the
readings will help you to a) understand and b) memorize the most important issues. Experience has shown
that students who systematically study the reading material are typically the ones who excel in the final
exam.
d.) Documentaries and Movies [“a picture is a thousand words”]
This course includes the viewing of documentaries and movies that illustrate some aspects of this course.
The selected documentaries and movies are an integral part of this course. In addition to various short
documentaries shown in class, there will also be cinematic movies shown in addition to regular classes. If
you miss a movie, it is your responsibility to make it up, e.g., by viewing it in the Bender Library.
Page 3 of 5
Grading
Grading will be based on homework sets (10 percent), one midterm exam (15-25 percent), one research
paper (25 percent) and one cumulative final exam (40-50 percent). Given that you are still at a learning
stage at the time you take the midterm, the percentage at which the midterm counts towards your course
grade depends on how much better your final exam is than your midterm.
 If your final exam is the same (or worse) than the midterm, the midterm counts for 25 percent and
the final counts for 40 percent.
 If your final exam is one grade better than your midterm, the midterm counts for 20 percent and
the final counts for 45 percent.
 If your final exam is at least two grades better than your midterm, the midterm counts for 15
percent and the final counts for 50 percent.
Grading Scale for
Homework (HW)
Midterm (M)
Research Paper
(RP)
Final Exam (F)
Course
10 percent
15-25 percent
25 percent
40-50 percent
of course grade (average
of 5 best HW)
of course grade
of course grade
of course grade
=0.1*HW + (0.15 or
0.20 or 0.25)*M +
0.25*RP + (0.5 or
0.45 or 0.4)*F
M Points Grade Credits
95-100
A
10
90-94.9
A9
85-89.9
B+
8
80-84.9
B
7
75-79.9
B6
70-74.9
C+
5
65-69.9
C
4
60-64.9
C3
55-59.5
D
2
RP Points Grade Credits
47.5-50
A
10
42.5-47
A9
37.5-42
B+
8
32.5-37
B
7
27.5-32
B6
22.5-27
C+
5
17.5-22
C
4
12.5-17
C3
7.5-12
D
2
F Points Grade Credits
180-200
A
10
170-179.5
A9
160-169.5
B+
8
150-159.5
B
7
140-149.5
B6
130-139.5
C+
5
120-129.5
C
4
110-119.5
C3
100-109.5
D
2
HW Points Grade
31.0-35.0
A
28.0-30.9
A25.0-27.9
B+
22.0-24.9
B
19.0-21.9
B16.0-18.9
C+
13.0-15.9
C
10.0-12.9
C7.0-9.9
D
< 7.0
F
Credits
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
< 55
F
1
< 7.5
F
1
< 100
F
1
Credits
above 9.49
8.50 - 9.49
7.50 - 8.49
6.50 - 7.49
5.50 - 6.49
4.50 - 5.49
3.50 - 4.49
2.50 - 3.49
1.50 - 2.49
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
less than 1.50
F
Academic Integrity
Please note that the academic integrity code is strictly enforced for all homework, exams and the research
paper. Violations of the Academic Integrity Code will not be treated lightly, and disciplinary actions will
be taken should such violations occur. If you have not already done so, please familiarize yourself at:
http://www.american.edu/academics/integrity/code.htm.
Community-Based Learning & Research
This course allows you to earn a fourth credit via Community-Based Learning & Research. If you are interested,
please see: www.american.edu/ocl/volunteer/CBLR-Community-Based-Learning-and-Research-homepage.cfm and
let me know your ideas/suggestions. There are a variety of international & multi-cultural organizations you may pick
from; please see: http://www.american.edu/ocl/volunteer/upload/International-Multicultural-Organizations-2.pdf.
Page 4 of 5
AU’s General Education Program
a.) General Education Program Goals
The six goals of AU’s General Education Program are:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
written and oral communication;
critical thinking, including information literacy;
ethics;
(iv) aesthetics;
(v) perspectives of race, class, culture, and gender; and
(vi) a global point of view.
The Global Majority obviously focuses on the sixth goal (a global point of view), though it also addresses
written communication, critical thinking, ethics (especially human rights), and perspectives of race, class,
culture and – last but not least – gender.
b.) Curricular Area Goals
The Global Majority is one of the five foundation courses in Cluster One (Global Perspectives) of
Curricular Area 3 (Global and Multicultural Perspectives) in the University's General Education Program.
The specific goals of this curricular area are to:
(i) explore those habits of thought and feeling that distinguish regions, countries, and cultures from
one another;
(ii) discuss, in comparative and cross-cultural perspective, the concepts, patterns, and trends that
characterize contemporary global politics; and
(iii) develop your capacity to critically analyze major issues in international and intercultural
relations, especially how categories of difference are organized within and across cultures and
how they affect political systems.
While The Global Majority touches on each of these goals, it focuses on the lives of the global majority—
the about 85 percent of the world’s population who live in low- or middle-income countries. Like all
courses in this area, The Global Majority encourages a better understanding of the dimensions of
experience and belief that distinguish cultures and countries from one another and, conversely, the
commonalities that bind human experience together.
If you take this course as part of AU’s General Education Program, this foundation course is part of a
course cluster which must be followed in sequence by an appropriate second level-course in the same
cluster; please see: http://www1.american.edu/american/registrar/geninfo/gened3.htm.
c.) Standards for Performance Evaluation
Evaluation of a student’s performance in this course as a whole will be guided by the following criteria:
A: Demonstration of superior work in fulfillment of course requirements.
B: Excellent work in fulfillment of course requirements.
C: Satisfactory work in fulfillment of course requirements.
D: Assigned work is not satisfactory or not completed.
F: Failure to meet minimum course goals and requirements.
Green Teaching
This is a Certified Green Course. This means, for example, that I will not hand out
any printed materials, but I will use EM/Blackboard extensively to post handouts,
collect assignments, and provide you with feedback on assignments. To help make
our class as green as possible, I encourage you to buy used books, minimize paper
use, and read course readings online rather than printing copies. If you choose to
print, please print double-sided, and recycle the paper after the end of the semester.
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