Global Development Studies Concentration
Faculty:
Development is an effort to create positive change to enhance people’s lives. It is a concept whose meanings and goals are hotly debated. Nonetheless, two ideas promoted by the United Nations Development Program guide the GDS concentration: sustainable development and human development. Sustainable development explicitly recognizes the constraints imposed by the natural environment by calling for development that meets the needs of the present without decreasing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Human development links development and human rights by regarding development as the expansion of human freedoms. Under this approach, income, education, and health are all viewed as keys to expand human capabilities.
The GDS concentration focuses on these processes in the world’s developing countries. Furthermore, it is founded on the principle that understanding development requires work in more than one discipline and meaningful dialogue between the disciplines.
The mission of the GDS concentration is to provide students with the following:
- Critical understanding of the concept of development, as well as the core theories, actors, and issues in development. In particular, all students should have an understanding of the interactions between the natural environment and development.
- Recognition that there are different sides to debates on the nature of development and underdevelopment.
- Recognition that there are different disciplinary methods, concepts, and theories concerning development that commonly underlie debates.
- Recognition that different arguments are affected by development experience and standing (e.g. national, ethnic, gender).
- Ability to ask key questions for solving problems in development issues.
- Hands-on experience working in or with a developing country or with an organization that does such work.
- Knowledge of a developing region of the world and alternative worldviews.
Required, 22 or 24 credits as follows:
1. Global Development Studies 111 Introduction to Global Development Studies
2. Regional Focus, one four–credit course required, chosen from the following:
- Anthropology 242 African Cultures
- Anthropology 246 Anthropology of the Modern Middle East and North Africa
- Anthropology 257 Latin American Cultures
- Chinese/General Literary Studies 277 Modern China through Literature and Film (in Translation)
- Chinese 331 Advanced Chinese I
- English 225 Introduction to Postcolonial Literatures
- English 360 Seminar in Postcolonial Literature
- French 342 Orientalism Revisited
- History 100* Making History
- History 201 Colonial Latin America
- History 202 Modern Latin America
- History 204 Radical Movements in 20th-century Latin America
- History 206 The Mexican Revolution
- History 261 Southern Africa
- History 262 Modern Africa from Sahara to Zambez
- Chinese history courses as approved by the concentration
- History 32X* Advanced Studies in Latin America and the United States
- History 36X* Advanced Studies in African History
- History 37X* Advanced Studies in Asian History
- Latin American Studies 111 Introduction to Latin American Studies
- Political Science 261 State and Society in Latin America
- Political Science 262 African Politics
- Political Science 275 Politics of the People’s Republic of China
- Religious Studies 117 Major Asian Religions
- Religious Studies 220 The Traditions of Islam
- Religious Studies 222 Religious Traditions of China
- Religious Studies 226 Religious Traditions of India
- Religious Studies 228 Gods of Bollywood
- Spanish 315 Creativity and Dissidence in Modern Latin America
- Spanish 377 Modernization and Innovation in Contemporary Latin America
*Varying content requires the approval of the concentration committee.
3. Macro Context, one four-credit course required, chosen from the following:
- Anthropology 238 Cultural and Political Ecology
- Economics 230 Economic Development
- Economics 233 International Economics
- Economics 240 Resource and Environmental Economics
- Education 217 Comparative and International Education
- Political Science 251 International Political Economy
- Political Science 257 Nationalism
- Political Science 259 Human Rights: Foundations, Challenges, Choices
- Sociology 220 Sociology of Global Development
- Sociology 240 Social Movements in the 20th Century
- Social Studies 230 Health Geography
4. Environment and Development, one four-credit course required, chosen from the following:
- Anthropology 238 Cultural and Political Ecology
- Biology 150* Introduction to Biological Inquiry
- Biology 339 Biogeochemistry
- Biology 340 Aquatic Biology
- Biology 368 Ecology
- Economics 240 Resource and Environmental Economics
- Environmental Studies 145 Nations and the Global Environment
- Environmental Studies 395* Advanced Special Topics
- Environmental Studies 495* Senior Seminar
- Global Development Studies/Environmental Studies 251 Water, Development, and the Environment
- Global Development Studies/Environmental Studies 261 Climate Change, Development and the Environment
- Technology 154* Evolution of Technology
*Varying content requires the approval of the concentration committee.
5. Senior Seminar, one four-credit course required, chosen from the following:
- Economics 369* Seminar in Environmental Economics
- Economics 370* Seminar in Political Economy
- Economics 372 Seminar in Economic Development
- Economics 374 Seminar in International Trade
- Economics 375 Seminar in International Finance
- Economics 384* Seminar in Economics of Education
- Global Development Studies 346 Sustainable Development in the Modern World System
- Global Development Studies 3XX GDS Seminar (variable topic/number)
- Political Science 350 International Politics of Land and Sea Resources
- Political Science 354 Political Economy of Developing Countries
- Political Science 357 Diffusion of Democracy
- Policy Studies 320* Applied Policy Analysis
- Sociology 390* Advanced Studies in Sociology
- Social Studies/Science/Humanities 350* Freedom and Authority: Control of Reproduction
NOTE: Courses not taken as senior seminar may be taken to meet the distribution requirements of Nos. 3 or 4, depending on appropriateness.
*Varying content requires the approval of the concentration committee.
6. Additional Course Requirements (two or four credits)
- Two credits in an approved 300-level internship in development, strongly recommended
or - Four credits in an approved 397 independent project or 499 Mentored Advanced Project (MAP)
Other Requirements
- Students must complete GDS 111 before taking the senior seminar or undertaking the internship or independent study.
- No course can be counted toward more than one concentration requirement.
- Student selections must include one course in economics and one in either anthropology, political science, or sociology.
- Concentrators planning to participate in internships and study-abroad programs are expected to undertake foreign language study if the target language is offered at Grinnell through either formal departments or the Alternative Language Study Option Program. Concentrators are required to review their plans for foreign language study with their GDS adviser.
- Students may count toward the concentration only up to eight credits from any single department, and up to 12 credits from GDS denominated courses.
- A statistics course is also recommended.
This course adopts an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis of contemporary issues in the economic development of less-developed countries. Course reviews the leading theories of economic, political, and social change that have been adopted by anthropologists, economists, and political scientists, and considers how these theories have shaped past and current debate on the definition and goals of the development process. Course compares and contrasts the approaches adopted by international institutions and alternative development organizations to the “practice” of development.
Also listed as Environmental Studies 251. This course explores international water issues, focusing on the environmental, social, economic, and political implications of water scarcity. Emphasis will be on three interrelated topics: water scarcity as a constraint on development; water scarcity as a source of domestic and international conflict; and, in particular, the environmental implications of water supply projects and their social and economic consequences. Water management policy and the implications of changing climate on regional water availability will also be considered.
Also listed as Environmental Studies 261. This course introduces the basic science of climate change, focusing on the environmental, social, economic, and political implications of such change, as well as the institutions and associated policies engaged in negotiating a response, both locally and globally. Students will conduct in-depth examinations of key regions and ecosystems exemplifying how climate change is closely intertwined with development and natural resource management. The difficulties of predicting regional shifts in climate will be considered, along with the challenges associated with defining policy in the face of uncertainty.
Interdisciplinary social science examination of theories and issues concerning “sustainable development.” Historical consideration of the goals of development along with how and why the concept of sustainability became prevalent in the dominant discourse, and the contested meanings applied to this concept. Focus then given to several key issues (varying by year) at the boundary of economic/social development, natural resource management, and environmental degradation (such as population growth, agrarian reform, international environmental treaties, climate change, deforestation, agribusiness, tourism, etc.). Can count as anthropology seminar when taught by Roper.
* Indicates courses not offered every year.
