HIST 255
MWF 11:00-11:50, NC17
Spring 2006
Jan Bender Shetler
Office — Wyse 311, phone 535-7108
Home phone — (not after 9:00 p.m.) 534-5116
email — jans@goshen.edu
Office Hours – Tuesday and Thursday mornings or by appointment, or by email
Examination of the phenomenon and roots of global poverty in the colonial expansion of Europe, the rise of nationalism in the colonies and post-colonial globalization and development. Emphasis will be placed on viewing this problem and its solution from the perspective of common people in the global south. We will focus on the question of how globalization affects the everyday lives of poor people and how to bring about positive change. The course will be divided into three parts:
I. Definitions and Debates
II. Colonialism and the Creation of Global Structures
III. Globalization and Development
1. To gain knowledge, various perspectives and insight in respect to the following questions:
2. To develop the art of reading critically, evaluating historical sources, articulating ideas in a group setting, and expressing arguments clearly in writing.
3. To discover the relevance of history and the historical mode of inquiry to the critical questions of our lives and world today.
David Uru Iyam, The Broken Hoe: Cultural Reconfiguration in Biase Southeast Nigeria (University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1995).
Robert B. Marks, The Origins of the Modern World: A Global and Ecological Narrative
(Rowan and Littlefield: New York, 2002)
Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions, A Novel, 1988
Philip McMichael, Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective (Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, CA, 2000).
Paper #1 The Broken Hoe (4-5 pgs) 50 pts.
Paper #2 Nervous Conditions (4-5 pgs) 50 pts.
Paper #3 Development Project/Agency Analysis (8-10 pgs) 100 pts.
Exam on Colonialism 70 pts.
Final Exam 100 pts.
Reading questions (19 x 5) 85 pts.
Discussion groups (3 x 9) and class participation 45 pts
500 pts.
Paper #1: A view of poverty from below. Based on your reading of Iyam’s book, The Broken Hoe, in conjunction with our study of optimist and pessimist approaches to poverty in the world today, what does this case suggest must be taken into account in any analysis of the cause of, and solutions for, poverty in the world today? In your analysis refer to the material on the Optimist and Pessimist positions from local, national and global levels and how these approaches might or might not be useful on the ground in Biase. You do not have to cover all factors but focus on one issue that might be illustrated by the book in a couple of different ways. Your approach should be one that demonstrates how poverty is understood from a local perspective.
Paper #2: An analysis of the effects of colonialism from the perspective of the colonized. Based on your reading of Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions in conjunction with our study of the history of colonialism, what do the different characters in the novel tell us about the ways that the colonized coped with and tried to overcome poverty? This book should allow you to approach colonialism from a more complicated view, not purely good or purely evil, but to see various characters caught in a variety of dilemmas.
Paper #3: Choose an organization, a particular project of an organization doing development or an approach to development in the Third World today. Find out all you can about this. Then use the reading and class materials for the last part of the course to critically evaluate this organization, project or approach to development. Given what we have learned about the history of poverty in the Third World, how does this approach address the structural/systematic aspects of poverty and with what results? Your grade will be partially based on how well you integrate class and reading materials into your critique.
Paper #3 Optional: Model UN, Dayton Ohio
The Model UN meets in Dayton from
Paper #3 for SST Alternative Students: If you are taking this class as an SST alternative you may choose an organization that works at poverty issues in the Goshen or Elkhart area and do voluntary service with that organization. You will write the same kind of paper as outlined above but based on your experiences more than library research. You are required to spend at least 20 volunteer hours at this organization and you must verify these hours with a signature from your supervisor. Please clear the agency with me before you begin volunteering. See the website for more information.
Date |
Topic |
Assigned Readings |
Optional Readings |
Due in Class |
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Wed. |
Introduction |
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Part I: Definitions and Debates |
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Fri. |
Definition of the Problem |
Library Reserve: |
- Look up statistical information on poor nations, browse the web. |
1. Who are the world's poor? Where do they live? |
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Mon. |
The Optimists—World Bank and the Washington Consensus |
Library Reserve: |
Library Reserve: |
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Wed. Jan. 11 |
Discussion Groups: The Pessimists: Dependency Theory and World Systems |
Library Reserve |
-Fieldhouse, The "Pessimists" Use the website assignment sheet or find your own organizations with a critique of the WB approach to development. |
Compare/contrast the readings from the last two days. Make reference to specific readings/authors in answering the following questions. |
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Fri. |
Critiques from the Periphery |
The Broken Hoe, pp. 1-63 |
Library Reserve |
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Mon. |
MLK STUDY DAY. No class. |
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Wed. Jan. 18 |
Background on Nigerian delta |
The Broken Hoe, pp., pp. 64-97 |
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1. How do factors such as the environment, social/cultural organization, politics, gender and religion determine the ability of the Biase to overcome poverty? |
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Fri. |
Film, Delta Force in class |
The Broken Hoe, pp. 98-161 |
- Bring us up to date on what is happening now in Nigeria and with Shell. |
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Mon. |
Discussion Groups on the book and the movie |
The Broken Hoe, pp. 162-end |
Find out how Shell oil responded and more about the story. Report in class. |
1. How will you answer the question for the paper on the Broken Hoe? Thesis? |
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Part II: Colonialism and the Creation of Global Structures |
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Wed. |
A History of Poverty |
Write paper |
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PAPER on The Broken Hoe due. |
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Fri. |
Eurocentrism and the World Before Imperialism |
Marks, Origins of the Modern World, Intro and Ch. 1, pp. 1-42 |
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Mon. Jan. 30 |
Discussion Groups: |
Marks, Origins of the Modern World, Ch. 2 |
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1. Do you find the analysis of “European exceptionalism” useful? |
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Wed. Feb. 1 |
The Social Construction of Economic Systems |
Library Reserve |
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Fri. |
Discussion Groups: |
Marks, Origins of the Modern World, Ch. 3 |
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1. What were the critical “contingent” factors that allowed for the conquest of the Americas? |
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Mon. Feb. 6 |
The Industrial Revolution and Changes in the Empire |
Marks, Origins of the Modern World, Ch. 4 |
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Wed. Feb. 8 |
The Consequences of Industrialization |
Library Reserve: |
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Draw response from Marks also: |
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Fri. |
The Scramble for Africa: |
Library Reserve: |
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Mon. Feb. 13 |
Discussion Groups: |
Marks, Origins of the Modern World, Ch. 5 & 6 |
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1. How do you explain the gap between the poor and rich nations of the world? |
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Wed. Feb 15 |
Indirect Rule and its Consequences |
Library Reserve |
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Fri. |
The Second Colonial Occupation in Africa and Colonial "Development" |
Library Reserve |
Library Reserve: |
1. How/why did the balance of power and wealth change after WWII? |
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Mon. Feb 20 |
Exam in class |
Study for Exam |
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EXAM |
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Wed. Feb 22 |
Resistance to Colonialism: MajiMaji |
Nervous Conditions, |
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Fri. |
Discussion Groups: Independence, the end of colonialism? |
Nervous Conditions, |
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1. What can we learn about the effects of colonialism on poverty by reading this book? |
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Mon. Feb 27 Fri. March 3 |
MID-TERM BREAK |
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Mon. |
Paths to Independence: |
Nervous Conditions, |
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Wed. March 8 |
Colonization of the Mind |
Library Reserve: |
Library Reserve: Developing World- Edward Goldsmith, "Empires without Armies," pp. 24-27 |
1. From Nervous Conditions what psychological effects of colonialism do you see and how do the characters address it in different ways? |
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Fri. March 10 |
Discussion Groups on Nervous Conditions |
Write Paper |
Find more information on the author on the context |
PAPER on Nervous Conditions due in class |
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Part III: Globalization and Development |
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Mon. March 13 |
The Era of Development |
Development and Social Change, pp. xxvii- 42. |
Dyeing for Growth, 1-43 |
1. What is “development” and how did it become “a project”? |
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Wed. March 15 |
Famine and NGOs |
Library Reserve |
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1. What causes famine? |
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Fri. March 17 |
The Origins of Aid |
Development and Social Change 43-76 |
Dyeing for Growth, 44-64 |
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Mon. March 20 |
Discussion Groups: Transnational Corporations and Poverty |
Development and Social Change pp. 77- 112 |
See website assignments |
1. What are the origins of transnational companies? |
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Wed. March 22 |
Debt, Structural Adjustment and Poverty |
Development and Social Change pp. 113-146 |
Dyeing for Growth, pp. 65-126 |
1. What is the origin of debt in many developing nations? |
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Fri. March 24 |
Free trade and Poverty |
Development and Social Change pp. 147- 188 |
Dyeing for Growth, pp. 177-224 |
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Mon. March 27 |
Coping with Poverty: The Informal Economy |
Development and Social Change pp. 189-238 |
Dyeing for Growth, pp. 225-244 |
1. What are some of the ways that poor people find to cope with the global system? |
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Wed. March 29 |
Poverty, Corruption and the State |
Library Reserve: |
Library Reserve: |
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Fri March 31 |
Discussion Groups: |
Development and Social Change pp. 239-276 |
Library Reserve; Developing World- Mayra Buvinic, "Women in Poverty" p. 200 |
1. What kind of alternatives to or critiques of globalization are developing? |
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Mon. April 3 |
The World Bank |
Development and Social Change pp. 277-303 |
Dyeing for Growth, pp. 331-381 |
1. What does McMichael suggest about the future of development and solutions to poverty? |
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Wed. April 5 |
Guest Speaker |
Work on final project |
Library Reserve; Developing World-Jackie Smith and T. P; Moran, "WTO: Myths about …," p. 68 |
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Fri. April 7 |
Globalization and Everyday Lives |
Library Reserve |
Library Reserve: |
1. Where do you find hope for alleviating poverty in the world today? |
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Mon. April 10 |
Student presentations |
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Work on paper |
Final Paper due |
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Wed. April 12 |
Final Words, summing up |
Reading TBA |
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Final Exam Tuesday April 18, 10:30 am |