CRP 429/529

This course is an introduction to the field of development and planning in the developing countries. It is open to undergraduate and graduate students who are looking for a broad historical and theoretical understanding of the challenges facing developing countries and want to explore ways for improving the quality-of-life of the people, many of whom face poverty and desperation. According to World Bank data, about half the world's population lives on less than $2 a day; 80 percent of the global population has only 20 percent of global GDP; of the 840 million people that lack access to enough food to lead healthy and productive lives, 839 million live in developing and transition economies; and of the 115 million children who are out-of-school, 108 million of them are from developing countries. Over the next 25 years, we will go from a world of 6 billion people to a world of 8 billion people ─ with over 6.5 billion living in the developing world. How many people will be condemned to live on less than $2 a day then? Reversing this grim future facing many in the developing world is the major challenge of our time.  

Planning in developing countries is a broad field that cannot be covered in one introductory course. In this course, we will examine the causes and the nature of development ─ and underdevelopment, in the developing world and examine practical strategies for promoting development. The course is divided into two sections. Part one begins with an introduction to the field of development planning and a critique of the concept of development. We then turn to the post-war evolution of development thinking, focusing on the major theories and models of development used in the developing countries. The section ends with a discussion of the effectiveness of the approaches by drawing on the development experiences of East Asia and Africa. Part two focuses on the key challenges facing developing countries and planning strategies for addressing them. It begins with a discussion of the challenges faced by planners in developing countries in our increasingly globalized world.  Using case studies from Asia, Africa and Latin America, we then examine the main issues facing these countries, focusing on what has been tried, what has been learned, and what the current challenges are.

Learning Outcomes

Undergraduate students should expect that by the end of this course they will:

• have greater awareness of the developing world and be better informed about challenges facing them;
• have a basic understanding of the main theories for explaining underdevelopment and the assumptions underlying them;
• understand the historical and contemporary factors that influence development in the developing countries;
• have a basic understanding of the development approaches and planning strategies commonly used in the developing countries; and
• develop critical thinking skills through constructive engagement in class discussions.

In addition to the expectations for undergraduate students, graduate students will:

• be able to analyze and critique development approaches and identify the implications for policies and projects; and
• be able to pursue individual research that draws from the wide range of literature to address planning issues in developing countries.