POLS 310: Introduction to Development
Fall 2015
Instructor: R. El-Mahdi
Email: relmahdi@aucegypt.edu
Office Hours: M 1:30-2:00 & R 3:30-5:00 or by appointment.
Ideas about the processes, indicia and prerequisites of development have undergone
radical change since the end of World War II. Indeed, scholars no longer agree on
what is "development"? Who is it for? And how to achieve it? This lack of agreement
has had its impact on the range of policies and shifts in developmental themes adopted
by countries of the South. The aim of this course is to present students with a
historically grounded genealogy of theories of development and to expose them to the
central debates in the field, along with a meaningful understanding of its practice.
The course is divided into two parts: Part I is an overview of theories of development
and central themes in development literature, Part II introduces students to key
concepts in development practice and discussions with practitioners.
Text Book
Development Theory and Practice: Critical Perspectives. Edited by Uma Kothari and
Martin Minogue. Available at the bookstore.
All readings are available in the copy center and on blackboard.
Course Requirements:
Participation and presentations: 15%
Meaningful participation in class discussions that demonstrates reading of the course
material (BEFORE class) is of utmost importance. Students should be prepared to
answer questions, lead discussion and respond to pop-quizzes. Participation can
increase or decrease the student's grade significantly & more than six absences will
result in a grade F.
Punctuality is necessary and no one will be allowed in after class begins since it
distracts the rest of the class.
Mobile phones to be switched off through out class duration and if it rings you
will be asked to leave class and marked absent.
Two papers: 20% Each
Papers should cover a topic relevant to the course material (students are encouraged to
discuss their topics with the instructor). It should be 10-12 pages, double-spaced, 12pt
font, and uses at least 5 academic sources (not including any assigned in class).
Papers are due 12 October and 14 December respectively. Late papers will be
marked down one-letter grade for each day.
Midterm Exam: 20%
The exam will be composed of definitions and short essay questions.
Final Exam: 25%
A comprehensive final exam will be given on the date assigned by the university
exam schedule.
Grades are not open for negotiations and No grade will be changed.
(3/9): Introduction
Part 1: Development Paradigms and Theories
Week 1 (7/9): What is Development and how to measure it?
Todaro & Smith 2003. Economic Development pp.14-27
Development Theory and Practice: Critical Perspectives Chapter 1.
Week 2(14/9): Modernization Theory
Pretson, P. 2002. Development Theory an Introduction pp. 166-178.
*Rostow, W. “The Five Stages of Growth” in Development and Underdevelopment:
The Political Economy of Global Inequality pp.123-131.
Week 3 (21/9): Discussing paper guidelines and topics.
Week 4 (28/9): Dependency Theory
*Dos Santos, T. “The Structure of Dependence” in Development
Underdevelopment: The Political Economy of Global Inequality pp.277-287.
and
* Smith, T. 1979. “The Underdevelopment of Development Literature: The Case of
Dependency Theory” World Politics, 31 (Jan): 247-288
Week 5 (5/10): The State
*Evans, P 1995. Embedded Autonomy: States and Industrial Transformation. Chapter
1.
*Beeson, M. (2003) (Unpublished). The Rise and Fall (?) of the Developmental State:
The Vicissitudes and Implications of East Asian Interventionism.
Week 5 (12/10): The State II –1st Paper Due
*Leftwich, A. (1994). "Governance, the State and the Politics of Development."
Development and Change 25(2): 363-386.
*Maravall, J. 1994. “The Myth of Authoritarian Advantage” Journal of Democracy 5
(oct): 17-31.
Week 6 (19/10): Midterm & Paper presentations (22/10)
Week 7 (26/10): Neoliberalism and its critiques
*Williamson, J, 1993. “Democracy and the Washington Consensus” World
Development 21(8) pp.1329-36.
* Cammack, P. Neoliberalism, the World Bank and the New Politics of Development.
Development Theory and Practice: Critical Perspectives pp. 157-178.
Part II: Key Concepts in Development Practice
Week 8 (2/11): Civil Society and NGOs
*AbdelRahman, M. (2004). Civil Society Exposed: The Politics of NGOs in Egypt
Ch.3 pp.40-73.
*Davis, Mike (2007). Planet of Slums. Chapter 4 pp.70-94.
Week 9 (12/11): Social Development and Inclusion
*Development Theory and Practice: Critical Perspectives. Chapter 4 pp.52-70.
Week 10 (16/11): Participation & Empowerment
*Development Theory and Practice: Critical Perspectives. Chapter 6 pp.92-116.
*Mohan, G. and K. Stokke (2000). "Participatory Development and Empowerment:
The Dangers of Localism." Third World Quarterly 21(2): 247-268.
Week 11 (23/11): Women and Gender
*Development Theory and Practice: Critical Perspectives Chapter 3 pp.35-51
*Abu-Lughod, Lila. Dialectics of Women’s Empowerment: The International
Circuitry of the Arab Human Development Report. International Journal of
Middle East Studies. Feb2009, Vol. 41 Issue 1, p83-103.
Week 12 (30/11): Environment and Ecology
*Development Theory and Practice: Critical Perspectives Chapter 8 pp.136-156.
*Davis, Mike. Planet of Slums. Chapter 6 pp.121-150.
Week 13 (7/12): Critique of Development
*Brohman, J., 1995. “Universalism, Ethnocentrism, and Ideological Bias in
Development Studies: From Modernization to Neoliberalism” Third World Quarterly,
16 (1) pp.121-40.
*Development Theory and Practice. Chapter 10 pp. 179-190
Week 14 (14/12): Review for the Exam