The American University in Cairo
POLS 3510-02: INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT
Spring 2015
Ibrahim Elnur (Email: ielnur@aucegypt.edu )
Office hours (HUSS 2007)
Mondays and Tuesdays: 1:00– 2:00 p.m.
UW 10:00AM-11:15 PM
HUSS/Waleed C 140
This course introduces students to issues of development in the Third World, using a political
economy approach. This approach stresses the historical, social, and political forces that help
to shape economic outcomes. Students with no prior background in economies will close this
gap by reading Michael Todaro's text, Economic Development. Additional readings, class
discussions and lectures will explore the many dimensions of poverty and inequality in the
world today.
Besides a final exam and participation in class discussions, the course requirements include
one mid-term test, and two short writing assignments, one of which is linked to a fieldwork
exercise on one of the emerging issues and one class presentation. Attendance is required, and
students with more than 3 absences will receive a lowered grade.
Students are required to complete each week's readings in advance so that they can be informed
participants in class discussions and regular assigned class presentations.
The core text by Todaro (9th edition) is available at the AUC Bookstore. Other readings are on
reserve, and are available as a set, which students may photocopy. All additional readings
assigned for class discussion, including relevant case studies, are considered an integral part of
the course.
Pre-requisite: Pols. 201.
GENERAL POLICIES
Class participation; you will be responsible for participation in class. Your grade can go up or
down according to the quality of your contributions to class discussion. This is important, so
be prepared to participate in class discussion.
Class attendance and punctuality; you must attend regularly and you will be penalized for poor
attendance. Attendance record will be taken at the beginning of each class to note attendances
and absences. Please come to class on time.
Late Essays; Material handed in late will be penalized and if they are more than a week late
they may be automatically graded an F.
All written assignments must be submitted in hard and soft copies.
Cheating and plagiarism; any information, arguments, or data used by students in their work
(papers, exams, homework) should be properly cited and credited. Should you fail to give
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proper credits wherever appropriate, you will receive a failing grade and your name will be
turned over to the College Administrative for disciplinary measures.
If your participation and attendance are poor and your essays are late these penalties will be
cumulative. You cannot pass the course without completing the entire requirement, so if you
fail to submit a paper, or to attend an exam, you will be failed for the course.
Methods:
The primary methods of achieving these objectives are critical and analytical writing. In
preparation for class, students will be expected not only to have read the prescribed readings,
but also to criticize and comment on them. This makes it essential to read thoroughly. This is
an upper division course and preparation for class is greater than in an introductory level
Course Grades:
Class participation and presentations
Written assignments
Mid-Term Test
Final Exam
Total
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25%
25%
25%
25%
100%
2
INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS
Week 1: Introduction to the Course.
Week 2: Economics, Institutions, and Development: A Global Perspective;
- Introducing the text and readings.
-
Economics and Development Studies
What do we mean by development?
Readings:
1. Todaro, Michael, Economic Development, (11th edition), chapter 1
2. Dudley Seers. What are we trying to measure? In Ron Ayres (ed.):
Development Studies. An introduction through selected readings. pp. 3-20.
Week 3: Diverse Structures and Common Characteristics of Developing
Nations
Readings:
Todaro, , Economic Development, chapter 2
Week 4: Historic Growth and Contemporary Development: Lessons and Controversies
Readings: Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 3
Week 5: Classic Theories of Development: A Comparative Analysis
Readings:
Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 3.
Week 6: Contemporary Models of Development and underdevelopment
Readings: Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 4.
Week 7: Poverty Inequality and Development
Readings: Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 5
Seminar on development, poverty and inequality: Additional readings will be
provided.
Week 8: Population Growth and Economic Development:
Readings: Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 6
1. Fargues, Philip: State Policies and Birth Rates in Egypt: From
Socialism to Liberalism
Week 8: Urbanization and Rural-Urban Migration: Theory and Policy.
Readings: Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 7
1. World Development 2003: Chapter 6. Getting the Best from
Cities.
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2. Egypt HDR, Chapter 8, 2005 pp. 150-156 (The urban-Rural
Imbalance).
Week 9: Human Capital: Education and Health in Economic Development
.
Readings:
Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 8.
1. Akanksha A. Marphatia, Rachel Moussié (2013): A question of gender justice:
Exploring the linkages between women's unpaid care work, education,
and gender equality, International Journal of Educational Development
33 (2013) 585–594,
2. Class 6: Beyond developing the economy: Human development
UNDP: http://www.undp.kz/script_site.html?id=214
3. Using Human security Principles to Develop a Post-2015 Framework, IDS policy
briefing, issue 24, 2012.
4. Readings on youth unemployment.
MID –Term Exam:
Week 10: Agricultural Transformation & Rural Development.
Readings: Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 9.
1. Bush, Ray (2000): An Agricultural Strategy Without Farmers:
Egypt’s countryside in the New Millennium. Review of African
Political Economy, Vol. 27, issue 84, p235.
2. Egypt HDR, 2005, pp. 112-116 (vision for agriculture, 2017).
Week 11: The Environment and Development
Readings: Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 10.
1. Environmental Policy Making in Egypt: Gomaa, S.S., Ch 2 & 4
2. IPCC (2013): 2013 Report on Climatic Changes: The Physical
Science Basis, Summary for Policy Makers, WG1.
3. Egypt HDR, 2005, pp. 156-163.
Week 12 : Development Policymaking and Roles of Market, State and Civil
Society
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Readings: Todaro, Economic Development, chapter 11.
Menno Vellinga. Social democratization and development strategy.
Journal of Third World Studies, Vol. XXIV, No. 2, 2007.
Week 13: The Trade Policy Debate: Selected Issues
Readings: Todaro, Economic Development, chapters 12 & 13
Presentation Guidelines
1. Presentation will cover part of the text as well as additional readings assigned to the
module.
2. Each presenter will be allotted maximum of 10 minutes for presentation.
3. A clear division of labor amongst the presentation team (including discussant) is
needed prior to presentation.
4. Presenters’ and discussants’ notes should be submitted by the end of the class.
5. Discussants’ role is to stimulate audience interest, highlight controversial issues,
implications to policy making and gaps
Good Luck
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