GDS 295: WASHINGTON AND US AID FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

(Roper), 4 credits, prerequisites: none. This course will examine the role of Washington DC in international development assistance. The course will begin with a brief consideration of the meaning of development and underdevelopment and its historical trends. We will then consider the roles of various key players (e.g. World Bank, IMF, NGOs) situated in Washington, how Washington serves as a space for their interrelations, and how they are affected by US Policy. The course will then consider how and why US policy concerning the developing world has changed over time and how this has affected the practice of development. Finally, the course will examine several major current themes in international development, focusing on the roles of US Policy and Washington-based organizations.