The course will be presented mainly in lecture format, with the addition of class discussions, and the use of audiovisual aids.
Theoretical Foundations in Anthropology and International Development Studies
This includes all or some of:
Ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
Historical development of the concept of culture in anthropology
Ethnographic methods
Ethics in research involving human subjects
Colonialism and Imperialism
Modernization Theory
Dependency Theory
World Systems Theory
Capitalism, Neoliberalism and Development
International Lending Organizations: World Bank; International Development Fund; Asian Development Bank
(Post) Socialist Development
Gender and Development
Post Development
Anti-Development
Contemporary Issues and Ethnographies in ‘Developing’ Countries
This includes all or some of:
The Anthropology of Aid Work and Aid Workers / Voluntourism
Environmental Conservation and Development
BRICS led development programs
Decolonization movements
Urbanization
At the conclusion of the course, successful students will be able to:
- Identify and describe an anthropological perspective on culture, and the role of cultural research in international development studies and processes.
- Distinguish between international development studies, the anthropology of development, post development and anti-development.
- Describe some basic methods of ethnographic field research and their value for understanding the impacts of development programs.
- Compare and contrast the ideological assumptions and programs of post World-War II Truman era development and contemporary BRICS led development programs.
- Discuss some of the influences of colonialism, imperialism, nationalism and global markets upon social and economic inequalities in specific localities and on a global scale.
Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Evaluation Policy. The instructor will provide a written course outline with section specific criteria during the first week of classes.
Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in the course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline.
An example of a possible assessment scheme:
Reflection/Response Papers 30% (3x10%)
Research Paper 25%
Midterm 20%
Final 25%
Total 100%
Students may conduct research with human participants as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Policy on ethical conduct for research involving human subjects.
A list of recommended textbooks and materials is provided on the Instructor’s Course Outline, which is available to students at the beginning of each semester.
Possible texts include:
Edelman, Marc and Haugerud, Angelique. 2005. The Anthropology of Development and Globalization from Classical Political Economy to Contemporary Neoliberalism. Wiley-Blackwell.
Gardiner, Katy and Lewis, David. 2015. Anthropology and Development: Challenges for the Twenty-First Century. Pluto Press.