21A.338J | Fall 2003 | Undergraduate

Gender, Power, and International Development

Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 2 session / week, 1.5 hours / session

Description

After decades of efforts to promote development, why is there so much poverty in the world? What are some of the root causes of inequality world-wide and why do poverty, economic transformations and development policies often have different consequences for women and men? This course explores these issues while also examining the history of development itself, its underlying assumptions, and its range of supporters and critics. It considers the various meanings given to development by women and men, primarily as residents of particular regions, but also as aid workers, policy makers and government officials. In considering how development projects and policies are experienced in daily life in urban and rural areas in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Melanesia, this course asks what are the underlying political, economic, social, and gender dynamics that make “development” an ongoing problem world-wide.

Requirements

Attendance at class and participation is essential and constitutes 20% of course grade.

Course materials must be read for the assigned day in class.

Written assignments included:

  1. One short 3 page paper (worth 20% of grade)
  2. One 5-7 page paper (worth 25% of grade)
  3. One 7-10 page paper (worth 35% of grade)