This seminar examines the major issues of development,
underdevelopment and poverty in the modern world
theoretically, historically and empirically. Specifically,
it explores worldwide capitalist economic expansion and
incorporation, state formation, social conflict, and social
change in the periphery of the capitalist world system.
Focusing on chains of historical and economic factors that
led to colonial expansion, the seminar also looks at the
major causes that have perpetuated underdevelopment and
poverty in different corners of the world; the major impacts
of world scale capital accumulation, the imperial intestate
system and multinational capital; and the essence of
societal and structural transformations. The seminar
utilizes diverse analytical and theoretical approaches on
social transformation, and reviews the strengths and
weaknesses of each. These approaches include modernization,
Marxist, dependency, world systems, and neo-Marxist, and
critical theories of development and underdevelopment.
Furthermore, the seminar critically looks at the major
consequences of the continued global accumulation of capital
in transforming racial/ethnic, gender and class relations
through the colonial and post-colonial state. Focusing on
the interaction of the post-colonial state, local, regional
and multinational capital, it explains why uneven
development, poverty and hunger exist in the peripheral
world and in some pockets of the developed world. The
seminar further explores how uneven development in the world
causes crises, revolutions, conflict and war in the modern
world, and tries to suggest an alternative vision of
development.
The following books are available in the campus bookstore.
All other reading materials are available in the reserve
library.
The grade of this seminar is based on term paper, class
reports and consistent class participation. The term paper
must be between 20 and 25 pages, and carries 70% of the
grade; it must deal with theoretical and historical
perspectives and empirical analysis. Students need to
discuss their possible topics with the professor and get
clearance from him within the first four weeks of the
course. About two pages precis must be submitted by the
fifth week of the seminar.
Class reports and classes participation carry 30% of
the grade. Students will be assigned chapters or articles
to read, summarize and assess, and report to the class; they
will also prepare brief outlines summing up major themes or
theses and methodology and offering their own assessment of
the approach. Copies of each summary will be distributed to
the class. All students are required to do the readings and
to actively participate in class discussion.
ORGANIZATION OF THE SEMINAR
I. INTRODUCTION TO THE SEMINAR
1/14
II. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON DEVELOPMENT
A. Modernization theories
1/19 1. W.W. Rostow, The Stages T of Economic Growth:
A Non-Communist Manifesto, pp. 1-92
(Jim Talley)
1/21 2. Samuel Huntington, Political Order in
Changing Society, pp. 1-92
(Sam Zahran)
1/26 3. Alvin Y. So, Social change and Development,
pp. 11-87
(Azlan Tajuddin)
1/28 4. P. Baran and E. J. Hobsbawm, "The Stages of
Economic Growth," Kyklos, XIV, 2 (1951): 234-242
5. Colin Leys, "Samuel Huntington and the End of
Classical Modernization Theory," Sociology of
Developing Societies, in H. Alavi and Teodor
Shanin, pp. 332-349
(Jody manning)
B. Marxist theories of colonialism, imperialism and
development
2/2 1. Albert Szymanski, "Theories of Imperialism:
The Marxist Mainstream," in The Logic of
Imperialism, pp. 23-68
(Lisa Zilney)
2/4 2. Bipan Chandra, "Karl Marx, His Theories of
Asian Societies, and Colonial Rule," Review,
V, 1. Summer 1981, 13-91
(Catherine Baltimore)
3. Immanuel Wallerstein, "Marx and
Underdevelopment," in Stephen Resnick and
Richard Wolf, eds., Rethinking Marxism:
Essays for Harry Magdoff and Paul Sweezy,
pp. 370-395
(Doug Brooks)
C. Neo-Marxism, dependency and world-system theories
2/9 1. Paul Baran, "A Morphology of Backwardness,"
Sociology of Developing Societies, pp. 195-204
2/11 2. Alvin Y. So, pp. 91-165
(Susan Teetzen Stockdale)
2/16 3. Alvin Y. So, pp. 169-260; see also film:
trade
(David Steele)
2/18 4. Immanuel Wallerstein, "The Rise and Future
Demise of the world Capitalist System:
Concepts for Comparative Analysis, Sociology
of Developing Societies, pp. 29-53. (Shirley Rainey)
5. Andre Gunder Frank, "On So-called Primitive
Accumulation," Dialectical Anthropology 2
(1977) 87-106.
(Jim Talley)
D. Critical perspectives
2/23 1. James Petras and Kent Trachte, "Liberal,
Structural and Radical Approaches to
Political Economy: An Assessment," in James
Petras, Critical Perspectives on Imperialism
and Social Class in the Third World, pp. 9-62
(David Steele)
2/25 2. Aidan Foster-Carter, "Neo-Marxist Approaches
to Development and Underdevelopment," in E.
de Kadt and G. Williams, Sociology and
Development, pp. 67-95
3. Jeremy Seabrook, "What is Development?:
Voices from the South," Victims of
Development: Resistance and Alternatives,
London: Verso, 1993), pp. 224-250
(Susan Teetzen Stockdale)
III. THE CAPITALIST WORLD ECONOMY AND ITS EXPANSION
3/2 1. Harry Magdoff, "Imperialism: A Historical
Survey," Sociology of Developing Societies,
pp. 11-28
3/4 2. Ronald Robinson, "Non-European Foundations of
European Imperialism: Sketch for a Theory of
Collaboration," in Roger Owen and Bob
Sutcliffe, eds., Studies in the Theory of
Imperialism, pp. 117-142
(Jody Manning)
3/9 3. Asafa Jalata, "European Imperialism and
Ethiopian Colonialism: The Politics of Empire
Building, 1850-1935," pp. 47-81; "Colonial
Capitalism, Hegemonism, and Contradictions,
1935-1974," pp. 83-114," Oromia & Ethiopia:
State Formation and Ethnonational Conflict,
1868-1992.
(Shirley Rainey)
3/11 4. Diana Deere, "Rural Women's Subsistence
Production in the Capitalist Periphery,"
Robin Cohen, Peter Gutkind and Phyliss
Brazier, eds., Peasants and Proletarians: The
Struggles of Third World Workers, pp. 133-148
(Lisa Zilney)
IV. THE STATE IN THE PERIPHERY AND MULTINATIONAL CAPITAL
3/16 1. Hamza Alavi, "State and Class Under
Peripheral Capitalism, Sociology of
Developing Societies, pp. 289-307
2. James Petras, "The Peripheral State," in
Petras, Capitalist and Socialist Crises in
the Late Tewntieth Century
(Catherine Baltimore)
3/18 3. William I. Robinson, "Globalization, the
World System, and "Democracy Promotion" in
U.S. Foreign Policy," Theory and Society 25:
615-665, 1996.
(Doug Brooks)
3/23 4. ______________ "Global Capitalism and the
Oromo Liberation Struggle: Theoretical Notes
on U.S. Policy Towards the Ethiopian Empire,"
The Journal of Oromo Studies, Vol. 4, Numbers
1 & 2, July 1997, pp. 1-46 (library,
periodical)
(Sam Zahran)
V. DEVELOPMENT, UNDERDEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY
3/25 1. Jeremy Seabrook, "Development and Economics,"
Victims of Development: Resistance and
Alternatives, (London: Verso, 1993), pp. 7-22
(Jim Talley)
2. Bob Sutcliffe, "Imperialism and
Industrialization in the Third World,"
Studies in the Theory of imperialism, pp.
171-192
3. Bill Warren, "Imperialism and Capitalist
Industrialization," New Left Review 81, 1973,
pp. 3-46
(Jody Manning)
3/30 4. Jeremy Seabrook, "Industry in the Third
World: A Tale of Three Factories," Victims of
Development, pp. 97-108.
5. Keith Griffin and Azizur Rahman Khan,
"Poverty in the Third World: Ugly Facts and
Fancy Models," Sociology of Developing
Societies, pp. 236-251
(Azlan Tajuddin)
6. Jeremy Seabrook, "Dispossessings: The `First
World, " Victims of Development, pp. 158-165.
7. Lars Bondestam, "The Political Ideology of
Population Control," Sociology of Developing
Societies, pp. 252-259
8. Malcolm Caldwell, "The Dimension of
Environment," Sociology of Developing
Societies, pp. 260-261
(Lisa Zilney)
VI. REVOLUTIONARY SOCIAL CHANGES
4/1 1. Mark Selden, "The Proletariat, Revolutionary
Change, and the State in China and Japan,
1850-1950," Immanuel Wallerstein, ed., Labor
in the World Social Structure, pp.58-120.
(Susan Teetzen Stockdale)
2. Eric Wolf, "On Peasant Rebellions," in Teodor
Shanin, ed., Peasants and Peasant Societies,
pp. 367-74.
3. Teodor Shanin, "Class, State, and Revolution:
Substitutes and Realities," Sociology of
Developing Societies, pp. 308-331
(Doug Brooks)
4/6 4. A. Jalata, "Oromo Nationalism in the New
Global Context," The Journal of Oromo
Studies, vol. 4, numbers 1 & 2, July 1997,
pp. 83-114 (periodical).
(Shirely Rainey)
4/8 5. Skocpol, pp. 3-132 (David Steele)
4/13 6. Skocpol, pp. 133-258 (Sam Zarhan)
4/15 7. Skocpol, pp. 259-337 (Azlan Tajuddin)
VII. DEMOCRACY, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND DEVELOPMENT
4/20 1. Bonnie K. Holcomb, "The Tale of Two
Democracies: The Encounter Between US-Sponsored Ethiopian `Democracy' and
Indigenous Oromo Democratic Forms, The
Journal of Oromo Studies, Vol. 4, nos. 1 & 2,
July 1997, pp. 47-82 (periodical)(Shirley
Rainey)
4/22 2. Gita Sen and Caren Crown, Development,
Crises, and Alternative Visions: Third World
Women's Perspectives, pp. 15-96 (Lisa Zilney)
4/27 3. Jeremy Seabrook, "Development and Human
Needs", Victims of Development," pp. 199-204
4. Alec Nove, The Economic of Feasible
Socialism, pp.10-65
(Catherine Baltimore)
4/29 5. Discussion and conclusion; Research Paper Due
AAAS 202 Introduction to African American Studies
AAAS 211 Introduction to African Studies
AAAS 421 Comparative Studies in African & African-American Societies
AAAS 480 Black Communities in Urban America
Soc 343 Race & Ethnicity
Soc 442 Comparative Poverty & Development
Soc 446 The Modern World System
Soc 543 Introduction to Development
Soc 645 Advanced Studies in Political Economy
Academic Resume