Development Studies

This course provides a foundation for international development and cooperation. It covers the histories and theories of international development and cooperation; the concepts and evolution of development and its variants, including sustainable development, economic development, human development and capabilities, and post-development; the emergence and functioning of international organizations involved in coordinating global cooperation; and a selection of compelling contemporary issues.

The course introduces development economics as well as applied problems in the field of development, and development strategies. It covers both conventional theory of development and economic growth and alternative strategies for sustainable development. Topics covered include resource mobilization, agricultural and industrial development, globalization, sustainable development and institutions, and the political economy of development. The discussion is both theoretical and applied with extensive use made of country and regional case studies. The course focuses on developmental challenges confronting South Africa and the rest of Africa. Assessment: coursework (50%) and a final exam (50%).

Gain insight into a variety of approaches to ensuring that children grow up healthy and with opportunities to become contributing members of society. The historical roots, current issues, and future challenges related to children’s well-being are addressed in this course by covering a broad spectrum of related topics, including family life, the influence of the turbulent 20th century on youth and education, regional and national differences in educational systems, preventive youth health care, public policy on social services and divorce support, parental leave, and daycare provision. Students also learn about alternative educational approaches, such as those developed by Maria Montessori, Rudolf Steiner, Célestin Freinet, and A. S. Neill. The course includes guest speakers and incorporates guest talks and site visits to relevant museums/exhibitions.

The Internship Program gives students hands-on experience with local, regional, or international organizations and businesses to place their work experience into the broader context of professional development and development in Jordan. Students are exposed to the complex developmental, social, political, and business fabric of Jordan and gain valuable work experience. The main part of the course is the practicum, which is monitored by the CIEE lecturer through office hours, check-ins, and follow up with the internship on-site supervisor. In addition, the class meets bi-weekly for guest lecturers, planned site visits, and discussions on topics related to development in Jordan and international careers to provide practical insight into donor/host organizations and their efforts to support Jordan.

This course examines the links between environmental protection and economic development. It focuses on how the world manages its natural and environmental resources to meet the human needs of the present while at the same time preserving these resources for future generations. The course introduces students to different views on how human society achieves the goal of economic growth without depleting earth’s capital and jeopardizing the planet’s life support system. Other topics include the concept of sustainable development and its evolution; the challenges, equity issues, technology development, and free trade; sustainable development indicators and ecological footprints analysis; governance and international cooperation; and the sustainability of city and country. The course uses Hong Kong and China for case studies. 

A research project that assigns students to expert professors in their proposed research topic. The course takes the students' research capabilities to a more professional level. This can be most closely compared to what is called a supervised research project in the USA.

Based on a historical approach, this course questions the various theoretical models of development and their extensions in economic policy. It discusses the various "developmental" approaches of the 1950s and 1970s which made underdevelopment an international problem and whose solution must be found at the national level. It then examines the vision adopted from the 1980s onwards which saw it as a national problem to be tackled at the international level, leading to a homogenization of development strategies underlying structural adjustment. Finally, faced with the (at least relative) failure of the various decades of development, and while underdevelopment remains one of the major issues of the 21st century, the course considers the current focus on reducing poverty and inequality, while the concept of sustainable development is being promoted.

This course examines the great contemporary problems of poverty and inequality within the context of a globalizing world. Sources and selected empirical cases of poverty and inequality are explored and related development theories and policies are examined. The geographical scope of the course ranges from local to international. One or more African languages may accompany English in some lectures or reading material. Coursework counts 60%; an examination counts 40% of the final mark.

The course is conceived against the background of important debates on the conceptualization of development in global academic and policy contexts from the post-independence period (1960s) to date. This course is concerned with the notions of "emergence" and "transition" and pays special attention to African economies that are increasingly cited as having "achieved" some level of prominence in this regard. Students are encouraged to engage critically with mainstream thought on African experiences as they examine the interaction between theoretical frameworks/debates and empirical realities.

This course explores the complex relationships between development, poverty, and the environment. It covers a range of important natural resource and environmental issues, and provides students with the necessary tools to critically evaluate how these issues have been addressed by different stakeholders and at different levels of governance. Using concepts and analytical tools grounded in political ecology and critical development studies, the course examines several topics, including the politics of sustainable development, environmental governance and tenure, and critical resource issues.