| Faculty of Social Sciences
Faculté des sciences sociales
 
 
 

Understanding  Development  
MDG  5121B  
Chakib  Zouaghi  
Fall,  2010  
 
Course  outline  

Class  Schedule:       Wednesday  16:00  –  19  :00,  room  Brooks  10-­‐143  

Professor’s  office  hours:     Wednesday  14  :00  –  16:00,  room  Tabaret  382  
E-­‐mail:         Chakib.Zouagui@uOttawa.ca  
On  virtual  campus:     No  
 
OFFICIAL  COURSE  DESCRIPTION  

Study  of  leading  theories  and  debates  concerning  the  meaning,  challenges  and  possibilities  of  
development.   Analysis   and   discussion   of   the   different   aspects   of   development,   including   its  
social,   cultural,   political,   economic,   security,   legal   and   territorial   implications.   Interdisciplinary  
approach,  with  a  focus  on  discussion  and  evaluation  of  key  texts  and  thru  the  analysis  of  various  
cases.  

GENERAL  COURSE  OBJECTIVES  

This  seminar  will  engage  participants  in  discussing  the  context,  processes,  actor,  and  interests  
of  change  in  the  Third  World  countries.  The  course  will  first  map  out  the  various  concepts  and  
theories   of   development.   In   order   to   understand   contemporary   and   complex   issues   of  
development,  participants  will  then  examine  the  milestones  of  such  change:  the  expansion  of  
European   capitalism,   transitions   from   agrarian   to   industrial   societies,   globalization,   and   the   rise  
of   a   post-­‐industrial,   knowledge-­‐based   economic   model.   This   will   constantly   be   done   through  
the   political-­‐economic   lenses   of   the   processes   and   actors   of   change:   institutions,   state,  
international  relations,  growth,  geopolitics,  territorial,  sustainable  development.  

 
 
 
  

This   will   provide   the   context   and   the   tools   to   then   look   at   the   contemporary   reality   of   Third  
World  countries,  ongoing  efforts  to  address  development  problems,  and  the  limits  of  national  
actors  and  the  international  ‘development  industry’  that  both  inexorably  remain  constrained  by  
the   discourses   and   power   relations.   Lastly,   the   course   will   consider   current   trends   and   their  
likely   impact   on   development   issues:   the   eventual   decline   of   liberalism,   the   rise   of   identity-­‐
based  contestation,  structural  crises,  environmental  issues  and  sustainable  development.  

SPECIFIC  COURSE  OBJECTIVES  

By  the  end  of  the  course,  students  should:  

o Critically  understand  various  views  of  the  process  of  development,  along  with  their  
respective  proponents,  motivations,  implications,  stakes,  and  outcomes;  
o Have  a  broad  knowledge  of  the  context  and  structures  in  which  development  actors  
have  and  continue  to  operate;  
o Map  out  the  main  actors  of  development,  and  critically  understand  the  process  by  
which  those  relate  to  one-­‐another  and  to  other  global  actors,  and  the  implications  
theses  relations  have;  
o Be  able  to  critically  assess  complex  and  emerging  developing  strategies  implications.  

   

TEACHING  METHODS    

The  course  will  be  based  on  seminars,  with  short  topical  introductions  by  the  professor,  
comprehensive  inputs  from  students,  and  extensive  debating  of  issues.  

ASSESSMENT  METHODS  

All  required  readings,  and  most  of  the  additional  readings,  are  available  at  the  Morisset  Library  
Reserve,  or  online  through  e-­‐books  and  e-­‐journals.  For  those  students  who  would  prefer  to  buy  
those  books  that  we  will  extensively  use  in  the  course,  the  following  titles  are  recommended:  

• James  M.  Cypher  and  James  I.  Dietz  (3rd  edition),  2009,  The  process  of  Economic  
Development,  New  York,  routledge.  
• Tim  Allen  and  Alan  Thomas  (eds),  2000,  Poverty  and  development  into  the  21st  Century,  
Oxford,  New  York,  Open  University  in  association  with  Oxford  University  Press.  
• Malcom  Gillis,  Dwight  H.  Perkins,  Michael  Roemer,  Donald  R.  Snodgrass,  Économie  du  
développement,  (4e  ed.)  1998,  Belgium,  Nouveaux  Horizons,  De  Boeck  Université.  
 
      2  
 
 
  

• Serge  Michailof,  Les  apprentis  sorciers  du  développement:  Mythes  technocratiques  face  
à  la  pauvreté  rurale,  (2e  ed.)  1987,  Economica.  
• Relevant  web  links  global  policy  forum:  http://www.globalpolicy.com  
• International  Institute  for  Sustainable  Development  (IISD):  http://www.issd.org/climate    

ASSESSMENT  METHODS  

Evaluation  format   Weight   Date  

Assigned  or  chosen  reading   20%   To  be  assigned,  depending  on  

report   the  topic  chosen.  

Maximum  three  (3)  pages    

Minimum  three  (3)  references  

Presentation  of  assigned  or   10%   To  be  assigned,  depending  on  

chosen  reading   the  topic  chosen.  

(20  minutes)  

Individual  Essay.   40%   December  1st  2010  

Maximum  25  pages  

Minimum  twelve  (12)  

references  

Presentation  –  Individual   15%   From  November  24  to  

Essay   December  1st,  2010  

30  Minutes    

Participation  and  presence   15%   September  8  to  December  8,  

2010  

SCHEDULE  
 
      3  
 
 
  

DATE   COURSE   WORKSHOP   ROOM  

September  8   Introduction  to  development   Discussion  cases   Brooks  -­‐  207  

16:00  -­‐  19:00    

September  15   Theory:  Development  thru   Presentation  and  discussion   Brooks  -­‐  207  
complexity  lenses  

September  22   Case:  1  Developing  Countries   Reading  report,  presentation  and   Brooks  -­‐  207  
challenges   discussion  including  20  minutes  
reading  report  presentation  

October  6   Case  2:  Economic  growth  and   Reading  report,  presentation  and   Brooks  -­‐  207  
development   discussion  including  20  minutes  
reading  report  presentation  

October  20   Case  3:  International  institutions   Reading  report,  presentation  and   Brooks  -­‐  207  
of  development   discussion  including  20  minutes  
reading  report  presentation  

October  27   Case  4:  Development  and   Reading  report,  presentation  and   Brooks  -­‐  207  
sustainable  development   discussion  including  20  minutes  
reading  report  presentation  

November  3   Case  5:  Regional  development   Reading  report,  presentation  and   Brooks  -­‐  207  
and  territories   discussion  

November  10   Case  6:  Ethics  and  development   Reading  report,  presentation  and   Brooks  -­‐  207  
discussion  

November  17   Case  7:  Women  and  development   Reading  report,  presentation  and   Brooks  -­‐  207  
discussion  

November  24   Presentation  –  individual  essay   30  minutes  presentation  and  30   Brooks  -­‐  207  
minutes  discussion  x  3  

December  1st     Presentation  –  individual  essay   30  minutes  presentation  and  30   Brooks  -­‐  207  
minutes  discussion  x  3  

December  1st     Presentation  –  individual  essay   30  minutes  presentation  and  30   Brooks  -­‐  207  
minutes  discussion  x  3  

December  8   Presentation  –  individual  essay   30  minutes  presentation  and  30   Brooks  -­‐  207  
minutes  discussion  x  3  
 

 
      4  
 
 
 •
•

•
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