PSCI 3022 Assignment #1
Development
Length: 3-4 pages, double-spaced, font 12 Times New Roman
Due: Sunday, February 24, 2019 by 11:59pm. Upload your paper under Assignment #1.
Instructions:
You are a development advisor instructing leaders of one of the following countries: Bangladesh,
Brazil, Cambodia, Mexico, or Nigeria.
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Pick one of the countries listed above.
Identify the 5 most pressing development challenges in the country you have chosen and
explain your choices.
Next, use insights from institutionalist (market and/or state institutions), structural, and
cultural perspectives on development to explain the causes of the problems that you
have identified (you do need to use all 3 perspectives in total but only need to use 1 per
problem).
Finally, offer at least 3 policy solutions to address some of the problems you’ve
identified. Discuss how these solutions are consistent with institutional, structural, and/or
cultural understandings of development. How might domestic or international institutions
help solve any of these problems?
For example, let’s say that you have identified discrimination against women as important
development challenge in India. You find that cultural values privilege men, lead to female
infanticide and social traditions in rural areas (i.e. dowry payments) keep women from being
treated equally. However, you also find that democracy (a domestic institution) or international
aid via an NGO has been helpful in correcting the problem to some degree. You offer advice to
address the problem further by launching an education campaign with funds from the World
Bank (an international institution) and also suggest some type of quota system for women to be
instituted in small businesses, local governments etc.
Grading Rubric: (total of 100 points)
• 15 points: Identifies and explains 5 pressing challenges for chosen state
• 30 points: Discusses the challenges through institutionalist, structural, & cultural
perspectives
• 30 points: Identifies and explains at least 3 policy solutions
• 5 points: Discusses the role of domestic and/or international institutions in solving the
development challenges outlined
• 10 points: Follows the instructions for the assignment as outlined in the prompt (font,
margins, paper length)
• 10 points: Writing is clear and legible