UNIT 1. Understanding the Developing World

1. The Great Divide in the Global Village, Bruce R. Scott, Foreign Affairs, January/February 2001

While globalization offers developing countries the potential for progress, several factors prevent their ability to take advantage of this opportunity. Wealthy countries restrict immigration and protect their domestic markets. Poor countries have a difficult time attracting investment owing to weak institutions and reliance on primary products.

2. Prisoners of Geography, Ricardo Hausmann, Foreign Policy, January/February 2001

The prevailing wisdom is that poor countries fail to prosper because they do not embrace free markets and their institutions are weak. Ricardo Hausmann suggests that poor countries are disadvantaged by geography. Tropical and landlocked countries face obstacles because of their location, including higher transportation costs, disease, and a lack of regional integration.

3. The Poor Speak Up, Rana Foroohar, Newsweek International, February 11, 2002

Developing countries are uniting in their efforts to extract concessions from the industrialized countries, especially concerning trade issues. Shifting coalitions of developing countries are taking a pragmatic approach on issues that are important to them.

4. The Rich Should Not Forget the ROW (Rest of the World), Jose Ramos-Horta, New Perspectives Quarterly, Fall 2001

Despite the increase in the size of the world’s economy, the gap between rich and poor remains. Jose Ramos-Horta proposes essential steps to address this gap, including debt cancellation, increased development assistance, improved access to industrialized countries’ markets, and the formation of an antipoverty coalition. Globalization requires a cooperative effort to meet the challenges of the developing world and such a coalition could formulate a global strategy to fight poverty.

5. Putting a Human Face on Development, Rubens Ricupero, International Social Science Journal, UNESCO 2000

Rubens Ricupero notes that in the past too much emphasis was placed on macroeconomics without sufficient attention to inequality, the environment, sustainability, and the role of women, indigenous peoples, and minorities. A new paradigm must take into account the critical economic role of information, which is crucial to prosperity in developing countries.

UNIT 2. Political Economy and the Developing World

6. The Free-Trade Fix, Tina Rosenberg, New York Times Magazine, August 18, 2002

Proponents claim that globalization is the solution to poverty in the developing world. To enjoy its benefits, poor countries are pressured to adopt policies designed to promote economic growth. Tina Rosenberg questions the rules of international trade, which she contends are stacked against the poor countries. She offers nine new rules to govern globalization and improve the lives of the poor in the developing world.

7. Trading for Development: The Poor’s Best Hope, Jagdish Bhaqwati, The Economist, June 22, 2002

While acknowledging that the industrial countries maintain barriers against certain imports from developing countries, Jagdish Bhagwati maintains that poor countries hurt themselves through their own protectionism. He also faults the industrialized countries’ preferential trade arrangements with the poorest countries, calling instead for reduction in trade barriers, coupled with technical and financial assistance.

8. Learning From Doha: A Civil Society Perspective From the South, Walden Bello, Global Governance, July–September 2002

Walden Bello contends that the 2001 Fourth Ministerial Conference of the WTO failed to address outstanding issues left over from the Uruguay Round of negotiations and did not produce a quick end to agricultural subsidies or textile import quotas. Developing countries were often excluded from decision making, their fragile unity was undermined, and civil society organizations were not as influential as they could be.

9. Do as We Say, Not as We Do, Jack Beatty, The Atlantic Monthly, February 2002

Two recent studies criticize the Western industrialized countries for failure to adequately open their markets to imports from the developing world. Tariffs on products from the poorest countries cost those countries more than they receive in aid. Agricultural subsidies make commodities from the developing world less competitive in both export and domestic markets.

10. Spreading the Wealth, David Dollar and Aart Kraay, Foreign Affairs, January/February 2002

Critics charge that globalization widens the gap between rich and poor. Examining data from a select number of globalizing developing countries, David Dollar and Aart Kraay argue that the evidence suggests that the critics are wrong and that globalization has actually promoted economic equality and reduced poverty. They argue that successful reduction in poverty requires that rich countries avoid protectionism while poor countries make necessary reforms.

11. Surmounting the Challenges of Globalization, Eduardo Aninat, Finance & Development, March 2002

Will the world’s poorest share in the benefits of globalization? Antiglobalization protesters have emphasized the costs of rapid economic change, loss of local control of policy, the erosion of communities, and the slow response of international institutions to these concerns. The debate now seems to have shifted toward how to best manage the challenges of globalization. Eduardo Aninat claims that the IMF is seeking to adjust its policies to meet these challenges.

12. The Sacking of Argentina, Tim Frasca, The Nation, May 6, 2002

Argentina’s economic collapse can be attributed to globalization, neoliberal policies, and the corruption and greed of Argentina’s political class. The currency has been devalued, and an extensive bartering system has emerged. Poverty and unemployment have skyrocketed and people have taken to the streets in protest against the established political order. The IMF’s response has been to call for greater adherence to neoliberal policies; the future looks grim.

13. Safe Deposit: The Case for Foreign Aid, Gregg Easterbrook, The New Republic, July 29, 2002

Foreign aid has been much maligned by critics for its failure to alleviate poverty and promote democracy. Gregg Easterbrook argues that the positive effects of aid have been overlooked. While he acknowledges that significant amounts of aid have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, he contends that aid has made the world better than it would have been otherwise.

14. The Cartel of Good Intentions, William Easterly, Foreign Policy, July/August 2002

Western governments have recently pledged to increase foreign aid, but the benefits might not reach those who need them the most. William Easterly claims that the foreign aid bureaucracy demonstrates little cooperation among aid agencies, emphasizes quantity of aid over quality, duplicates efforts, favors high-profile projects, and advocates unreachable goals at the expense of modest improvements.

15. Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) and Third World Development: An Alternative Approach to Development, J. Wagona Makoba, Journal of Third World Studies, Spring 2002

There has been a large increase in the number of nongovernmental organizations worldwide. NGOs are increasingly serving as a conduit for aid from donor nations because they are perceived as less corrupt, offer greater participation for recipients, and fill the gap where markets and governments are weak. However, NGOs must maintain their independence and avoid being thought of as a panacea for development problems.

16. Fishermen on the Net, The Economist, November 10, 2001

Information and communications technology are bringing benefits to the poor in the developing world. Internet access provides commodity pricing and health-care information, mobile phones offer business opportunities, and cheap long distance communication brings jobs to developing countries. Some 20 percent of Internet users are now from non-OECD countries, up from only 12 percent just a few years ago.

UNIT 3. Conflict and Instability

17. Fight to the Finish, Jay Tolson, U.S. News & World Report, October 1, 2002

The attacks of September 11, 2001, raise questions about the nature of the terrorist threat. While some see the attacks as indicative of a clash of civilizations, others claim that it is a product of differing interpretations within Islam. One component of the strategy in the war should be a strengthening of traditional Islamic learning that rejects a radical interpretation. Failure to recognize the distinctions between these perspectives and to support moderates may encourage a clash of civiliz

18. The Crisis Within Islam, Richard W. Bulliet, The Wilson Quarterly, Winter 2002

The September 11, 2001, attacks highlighted a crisis of authority within Islam. This crisis, which pits traditional Muslim leaders against radical elements, stems in part from the nature of Islam as well as from the marginalization of traditional leaders and the ability of radicals to spread their message. The extremism of Osama bin Laden and his followers represents one manifestation of this authority crisis.

19. Mixed Message: The Arab and Muslim Response to ‘Terrorism’, Mustafa Al Sayyid, The Washington Quarterly, Spring 2002

While many Arab and Muslim nations expressed sympathy for the victims in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks and support for the war on terrorism, they do not always define terrorism in the same way as the Western world. Arabs and Muslims are suspicious of a hidden agenda behind the war against terrorism. They are skeptical of a widening war and point to what they consider American support for Israel’s state terrorism against the Palestinians.

20. Back to Brinksmanship, Sumit Ganguly, The American Prospect, July 1, 2002

The conflict over Kashmir brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war. The recent crisis was triggered by attacks against the Indian parliament, an Indian military camp, and the assassination of a moderate Kashmiri politician. In response, India massed troops along the Indian-Pakistani border as well as along the Line of Control that divides Kashmir. While a conventional war would be devastating, there is concern that a conflict could escalate to a nuclear exchange.

21. Africa’s Great War, The Economist, July 6, 2002

Despite the deaths of as many as 3 million people in the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the West has paid little attention to this conflict. The war in the DRC, often called Africa’s first world war, brought the intervention of a number of neighboring countries who were pursuing their own varied interests. A peace agreement in April 2002 has brought an end to most of the fighting except in the eastern part of the country where several armed groups continue sporadic fighting.

22. Zimbabwe: The Making of an Autocratic “Democracy”, Robert B. Lloyd, Current History, May 2002

Although it has the potential for prosperity, Zimbabwe faces economic chaos, political instability, and famine. President Robert Mugabe has pursued disastrous economic policies and, in his effort to maintain power, has encouraged the seizure of white-owned farms in an ill-conceived land redistribution scheme, intimidated the opposition in recent elections, muzzled the press, and destroyed the independence of the judiciary. Despite international and regional criticism, Mugabe remains defiant.

23. Talking Peace, Waging War, Christopher C. Joyner, The World & I, September 2002

Violence has continued between Israelis and Palestinians since the beginning of the second intifada in September 2000. Palestinian suicide bombings and Israeli military incursions into Palestinian territory have resulted in many casualties on both sides. American efforts to broker a peace deal have been stymied, most recently, by Yasser Arafat’s unwillingness or inability to stop the bombings and Ariel Sharon’s intransigence, especially on the issue of Jewish settlements.

24. Ending the Death Dance, Richard Falk, The Nation, April 29, 2002

Richard Falk maintains that the war on terrorism has had an effect on the most recent escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians. The focus on nonstate terrorists overlooks what the Palestinians regard as state terrorism. Yasser Arafat has been vilified for failing to end Palestinian terrorism while Ariel Sharon’s bloody past and intransigence is rarely emphasized. The blame for the breakdown of negotiations cannot be laid solely on Arafat.

25. Colombia Peace in Tatters, Adam Isacson, NACLA Report on the Americas, March/April 2002

Colombia’s complicated civil war continues after the recent breakdown in peace talks. Colombia’s rebels are regarded as a terrorist threat, and U.S. aid to combat them may total over $500 million in 2003. This aid includes helicopters, funding for the military’s antidrug campaign, a herbicide spraying program to eradicate coca production, and money to encourage crop substitution. There are indications that the United States may become even more heavily involved in the conflict.

UNIT 4. Political Change in the Developing World

26. Democracies: Emerging or Submerging?, Anthony W. Pereira, Dissent, Winter 2001

Despite the global advance of democracy, many so-called democracies are struggling or are fronts for nondemocratic leaders. In some cases, people appear to prefer authoritarian leaders; in others, elections produce dictatorial leaders. Several factors, including a mature economy, a functioning bureaucracy, and consensus of the population appear necessary for democratic success.

27. Democracy Inc., Eric Bjornlund, The Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2001

The spread of democracy around the world has helped to create a “democracy industry” devoted to monitoring elections. Eric Bjornlund, an election monitor, examines this effort and points out that, by focusing on the elections, these well-meaning efforts may undermine indigenous efforts to promote democracy.

28. Rebuilding Afghanistan, Marina Ottaway and Anatol Lieven, Current History, March 2002

The challenges of rebuilding a post-Taliban Afghanistan are formidable. There is a risk that in its well-intentioned efforts to reconstruct Afghan society, the international community will seek unrealistic solutions that will exacerbate ethnic and religious tensions. Reforms should take into account Afghanistan’s history and ethnic diversity, and the international community must make a commitment to small-scale incremental change that will lay the foundation for peace and stability.

29. Venezuela’s “Civil Society Coup”, Omar G. Encarnación, World Policy Journal, Summer 2002

Civil society has been hailed as an essential component of successful democracy. The role that these groups played in the brief ouster of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez raises questions about their commitment to democracy and the effects of aid programs that encourage their formation. The recent civil society coup in Venezuela highlights the importance of political institutions in maintaining democracy.

30. The Many Faces of Africa: Democracy Across a Varied Continent, Joel D. Barkan, Harvard International Review, Summer 2002

Democracy has progressed at a varied pace throughout Africa. Joel Barkan identifies five categories of states, ranging from consolidated and semiconsolidated democracies to aspiring democracies, semiauthoritarian, nondemocratic with little likelihood of transition, and states mired in civil conflict. The prospects for democracy in Africa are shaped by its poverty, reliance on agriculture, the multiethnic diversity of most countries, and the role of the state.

31. Past Successes, Present Challenges: Latin American Politics at the Crossroads, Gerardo Munck, Harvard International Review, Summer 2002

While Latin America is the most consistently democratic region outside the industrialized world, it faces significant challenges to democracy. There is widespread dissatisfaction due to corruption, disparity in the distribution of wealth, and threats to civil rights. Three possible scenarios derive from the current circumstances: continuation of current trends, loss of faith in democracy, and the development of a distinctively Latin American approach to challenges to democracy.

UNIT 5. Population, Development, Environment, and Health

32. The Population Implosion, Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Policy, March/April 2001

Declining fertility rates, an aging population, and rapidly decreasing life expectancy in some regions will lead to serious demographic shifts. Migration patterns may change as the need for workers in aging societies rises. The effects of HIV/AIDS are also likely to have a substantial impact on population in many developing countries.

33. Saving the Planet: Imperialism in a Green Garb?, Shiraz Sidhva, The UNESCO Courier, April 2001

Some critics in the developing world regard environmentalism as a new form of imperialism. They argue that the industrialized countries are not doing enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are pointing their fingers instead at emissions in the developing world. They also charge that the links between trade and environment amount to protectionism, and they argue that the developing countries are at a disadvantage in negotiations on environmental issues.

34. Local Difficulties, The Economist, July 6, 2002

Environmental degradation affects poor countries in a variety of ways. Environmental factors account for about one-fifth of all diseases in poor countries. There is also a complex relationship between trade and environment in poor countries. The effort to improve environmental conditions must rely on local initiatives as well as on increased aid from industrialized countries, which often have different priorities than developing countries.

35. Poverty and Environmental Degradation: Challenges Within the Global Economy, Akin L. Mabogunje, Environment, January/February 2002

Globalization, population growth, urbanization, and emphasis on exports have a major effect on the environment in the developing world. Deforestation, desertification, erosion, loss of biodiversity, pollution, and climate change have a greater impact on the poor and make them more vulnerable to natural disaster and disease. Efforts to address these critical issues must include technology, good governance, participation by the poor in these efforts, and greater local authority.

36. Endangered Humans, Charles C. Geisler, Foreign Policy, May/June 2002

Efforts to conserve land in poor countries threaten to create environmental refugees. The amount of land set aside for conservation has increased markedly, but there has been little concern about the effects of this conservation on indigenous populations. While conservation is important, there should be more attention paid to who benefits from this protection. Alternatives to forced, uncompensated relocation should be found.

37. A Dirty Dilemma: The Hazardous Waste Trade, Zada Lipman, Harvard International Review, Winter 2002

The export of hazardous waste from industrialized to developing countries represents a serious health and environmental risk for recipient countries. The Basel Convention on Hazardous Waste Exports is a start to dealing with the problem, but it does not adequately define hazardous waste or provide for important recycling of waste by developing countries. Industrialized countries should also provide the necessary technology to safely reprocess both imported and domestically generated waste.

38. Death Stalks a Continent, Johanna McGeary, Time, February 12, 2001

AIDS is having a devastating impact on Africa. Some 17 million Africans have died from the disease and, in the most seriously affected countries, as many as one in five are infected. While the scale of the human tragedy is immense, the long-term development consequences will be enormous.

39. An Epidemic of Neglect: Neglected Diseases and the Health Burden in Poor Countries, Rachel Cohen, Multinational Monitor, June 2002

There have been advances in drug therapy for a wide variety of diseases. Drug research and development for diseases that affect people in the developing world has not progressed, however, since people in developing countries do not provide a lucrative market for pharmaceutical companies. Although recent attention to this problem has resulted in some discussion of incentives to provide access to drugs for the poor, successful implementation of such a program is not ensured.

UNIT 6. Women and Development

40. Empowering Women, Lori S. Ashford, Population Bulletin, March 2001

Progress toward the goals established at the Cairo and Beijing conferences has been slow. Gender differences contribute to a high poverty rate among women and a lack of health resources, education, and employment. Increased employment and educational opportunities, as well as greater participation in politics, could lead to enhanced status for women.

41. Women Waging Peace, Swanee Hunt and Cristina Posa, Foreign Policy, May/June 2001

There is a growing recognition regarding the vital role that women can play in resolving conflicts around the world. International organizations have strengthened participation of women in peacemaking activities, but women still lag behind in policy, military, and diplomatic efforts.

42. Women & Development Aid, Ritu R. Sharma, Foreign Policy In Focus Brief, September 17, 2001

Despite the significant benefits to social and economic development that come with enhancing the status of women, women still head the majority of the world’s poor families. Despite efforts like the 1973 Percy Amendment and the 1996 Gender Plan of Action, a recent study found that USAID has not promoted or implemented foreign aid policies that have an impact on gender roles.

43. Gender Equality: A Prerequisite for Sustainable Development, Susan Buckingham-Hatfield, Geography, July 2002

Women are more likely than men to be affected by environmental degradation, because of their inferior status. Agenda 21, adopted at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, specified objectives designed to give women greater decision-making influence and to address legal, economic, educational, and health inequalities. Women are key contributors to sustainable development and although there has been some improvement in women’s status, progress has been uneven and inequality persists.

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