J. Montgomery Roper, Chair

Deveopment 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 Peoples of the Middle East
   • Anthropology 257 Latin American Cultures
   • Chinese 277 Modern China through Literature and Film (in Translation)
   • English 225 Introduction to Postcolonial Literatures
   • English 360 Seminar in Postcolonial Literature
   • French 342 Orientalism Revisited
   • History 201 Colonial Latin America
   • History 202 Modern Latin America
   • History 204 Radical Movements in 20th-Century Latin America
   • History 261 Southern Africa
   • History 276 Chinese History II
   • 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
   • Spanish 315 Creativity and Dissidence in Modern Spanish America
   • Spanish 377 Modernization and Innovation in Contemporary Spanish America
   • Spanish 383 The Spanish American Colonial World
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
• Political Science 251 International Political Economy
• Sociology 220 Sociology of Global Development
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 220 Biotechnology and Its Social Impact
• 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 251 Water, 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 372 Seminar in Economic Development
• Economics 374 Seminar in International Trade
• Economics 375 Seminar in International Finance
• Global Development Studies 346 Sustainable Development in the Modern World System
• Global Development Studies 347 Globalization and Development
• Political Science 350 International Politics of Land and Sea Resources
• Political Science 354 Political Economy of Developing Countries
• Political Science 357 Diffusion of Democracy
• § Sociology 390 Advanced Studies in Sociology

§ Varying content requires the approval of the concentration committee.

NOTE: Courses not taken as senior seminar may be taken to meet the distribution requirements of Nos. 3 or 4, depending on appropriateness.



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

1. Students must complete GDS 111 before taking the senior seminar or undertaking the internship or independent study.
2. No course can be counted toward more than one concentration requirement.
3. Student selections must include one course in economics and one in either anthropology, political science, or sociology.
4. 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.
5. Students may count toward the concentration only up to eight credits from any single department, and up to 12 credits from GDS denominated courses.
6. A statistics course is also recommended.

111 Introduction to Global Development Studies (Fall and Spring) 4 credits

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. Prerequisite: one course in Anthropology, or Economics, or Political Science, or Sociology. Economics 111 is strongly recommended. CARTER, ROPER.

154 Natural Hazards and Disasters (Spring) 4 credits

See Environmental Studies 154.

251 Water, Development, and the Environment* (Spring) 4 credits

Also listed as Environnmental 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. Prerequisite: second-year standing. P. JACOBSON.

346 Sustainable Development in the Modern World System* (Spring) 4 credits+

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. Prerequisite: Global Development Studies 111 or Anthropology 280. ROPER.

347 Globalization and Development* 4 credits+

Interdisciplinary social science examination of the nature of social change - particularly in terms of varied conceptions of "development" - associated with processes of modernization and globalization in developing countries. Focus is placed on western development aid and the expansion of the world capitalist system; including the major actors and institutions involved, their linkages with one another and peoples in the developing world, and impacts on the developing world. Also examines local-level responses, focusing on social movements and/or grassroots development initiatives. Can count as anthropology seminar when taught by Roper. Prerequisite: Global Development Studies 111 or Anthropology 280. ROPER.