INTL 422/522 Aid to Developing Countries 

Fall 2012

Professor Anita M. Weiss

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International Studies

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         Course Syllabus and Outline
This course examines the history and current realities of international bilateral and multilateral development assistance. After placing globalization and development assistance in an historical context, we will look at different kinds of aid which exists, the debate over what is to be developed, the project planning and assessment process, and the rise in importance of NGOs in the aid arena today. We then review and critique the current aid emphasis on promoting democratization, civil society and human rights, and the mandates of the Millennium Declaration. The course culminates in our own aid consortium simulation, where students have the opportunity to experience the decision-making process first-hand. Our emphasis throughout is on the development process and its critics, which could lead to a greater understanding of both the possibilities and the constraints of aid.

We will try to break down into small group discussions as much as possible. Therefore, try to finish all readings prior to the beginning of the segment in which they will be discussed. Limited recommended readings have been included as background supplements and for those who would like to read further on a given issue. Readings other than those from the required texts have been kept at a minimum, and are accessoble below via this course website.

Course Objectives

1. To understand how the global system of bilateral and multilateral development assistance is structured and functions today, and to assess its effectiveness critically;

2. To understand the historical background to the current system, as well as various orientations towards globalization and development assistance;

3. To gain an awareness of the various actors involved in international development assistance and in the development process, particularly i) the United Nations and its constituent multilateral donor agencies; ii) key bilateral donor agencies (especially JICA and USAID); iii) international non-governmental organizations (INGOs); and iv) local non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

4. To learn specific skills including how a project is envisioned and planned, assessment tools (e.g., RRA, LFA and PRA), how to promote participatory development, and standard evaluative methods (e.g., ‘successes, failures and lessons learned’)

WEEK I September 24-26 Introduction to the course, the project process, and development assistance as an issue

Please review the project information and ascertain your top three choices for a group you’d like to be in. We will try to finalize the group project list on Monday of the second week of classes (thereby underscoring the importance of starting to research this early!). Tom Stave (International Documents, Knight library) joins us on October 10th to discuss strategies for project research.

Required Reading:
Chambers, pp. xv-xviii
de Haan, pp. ix-xi
Fee, pp. 1-20
Picard & Buss, pp. 3-8
UNDP HDR, pp. 1-5, 127-130

WEEK II  October 1-3   Historical contexts of Globalization and Development assistance

Required Reading:
Chambers, pp. 1-22
de Haan, pp. 63-88
Fee, pp. 21-43
Picard & Buss, pp. 21-31, 37-60, 65-80, 83-99
UNDP HDR, pp. 131-134
Address by General George C. Marshall, June 5, 1947 (The Marshall Plan)

WEEK III October 8-10    The debate over what is to be developed
                               Discussion questions are linked here

Required Reading:
de Haan, pp. 1-19
Fee, pp. 64-84, 85-108
Picard & Buss, pp. 13-19
UNDP HDR, pp. 5-12
* Majid Rahnema (ed.) The Post-Development Reader Zed Books, 1997: Helena Norberg- Hodge “Learning from Ladakh” pp. 22-29; Ashis Nandy “Colonization of the Mind” pp. 168-178; and Eduardo Galeano “To Be Like Them” pp. 214-222
*United Nations Commission on Human Rights “The Right to Development” also see the U.N. General Assembly “Declaration on the Right to Development”

Hear a podcast interview with William Easterly!

Link to op-ed by Jeffrey Sachs "Homegrown Aid" The New York Times April 8, 2009

WEEKS IV & V     Major forms of assistance; Methods used in project planning,
October 15-17,           capacity building, assessment, and safeguards for sustainability;
  22-24                       the mandate of the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals)  

Where does USAID's money go? (link to USAID website)

Link to Review Guide for midterm exam is here

Required Reading:
Chambers, pp. 25-46, 67-81, 85-102, 162-165
de Haan, pp. 21-60, 91-109
Fee, pp. 44-63, 109-131
Picard & Buss, pp. 119-124, 193-216
UNDP HDR, pp. 158-161, 162-165
*UN The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010 , pp. 3-5
*UNDP Millennium Development Goals website      
*"USAID Primer: What We Do and How We Do It”
*Mercy Corps Design, Monitoring and Evaluation Guidebook Portland, OR, August 2005   
*USAID Assistance to Kenya

WEEK VI  October 29       In-class mid-term examination

WEEK VI   October 31      Policy dialogue and structural adjustment

Required Reading:
de Haan, pp. 111-133, 135-149
Fee, pp. 155-173
Picard & Buss, pp. 124-146
David Leonhardt "Hopeful Message about the World's Poorest" New York Times 22 March 2011

WEEK VII  November 5-7         Sustainability & Equity
                Discussion questions are linked here

              *Final essay assignment is linked here

Required Reading:
de Haan, pp. 151-171
Fee, pp. 174-189
UNDP HDR, pp. 13-21, 23-43, 45-66, 67-79, 81-98, 146-149, 150-153
Link to extended interview with William Easterly, February 19, 2010

TED talk (video): Sanjay Pradhan: How open data is changing international aid

WEEK VIII  November 12-14      Democratization and Human Rights
                Discussion questions are linked here
                                     
 *Note: Country reports and donor profiles due in class on November 12th and will be accessible via the course website by November 14th

Required Reading:
Chambers, pp. 105-131, 133-147
de Haan, pp. 151-171
Fee, pp. 190-206
Picard & Buss, pp. 155-168, 173-185
UNDP HDR, pp. 135-138, 139-142
UN  The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010 , entire

  The World Cup meets the MDGs! Link here

WEEK IX   November 19-21        How does aid work?

*Note for November 19th: Based on additional information they have garnered from the donor profiles, each country group will make a 15-minute presentation based on their aid needs.

*Note for November 21st: We will hold our Aid Consortium Simulation, an opportunity for donor organizations and countries to meet face-to-face, make bargains and reach some understanding. The consortium will be held in Century Rooms A, B, C, D, E, and F in the EMU.     

WEEK X  November 26, 28, & 30   Does Aid work? Can Aid work? Critique of Process and Theories

*Note: Donor organizations will report on what percentage of their aid budgets will go to each country, and what was the basis for this decision.

Required Reading:
Chambers, pp. 167-189
de Haan, pp. 173-187, 189-195
Fee, pp. 207-233
Picard & Buss, pp. 249-273, 281-296

FINAL CLASS MEETING: Friday, November 30th, 6:30 p.m. [Final essay assignment due in class]
Lewis Lounge, 4th floor, Knight Law School, Agate & 15th Street

You are cordially invited to attend the concluding ceremonies of the International Development Assistance Consortium. Participants are requested to bring food and/or beverages from their respective countries. We will have the opportunity to critique the aid process as well as the course.

Please either don't use or clearly mark foods that contain these ingredients:

artificial sweetners; lactose; pineapple; pork

Note to delegates:
Please keep the time and location confidential, for security concerns