module specification

Issues such as corruption, organised crime, political violence, state disintegration, and extreme poverty present particular challenges to administration in developing and transitional societies. This module examines the new pressures and opportunities such societies face in administering public services. It will also explore the role of key international agencies engaged in global governance reform, such as the WTO, UN, World Bank and the IMF, and the role of NGO’s and bilateral donors. A key focus of the module will be to evaluate the effectiveness of different development strategies, using quantitative and qualitative techniques.

None

-To develop a detailed understanding of the role and functions of the principal agencies promoting reform in developing and transitional societies
-To critically examine the differing perspectives which have been used to understand the work of these agencies
-To develop skills of analysis based on quantitative and qualitative data on development strategies.

The syllabus will be divided into two parts.
The first part will deal with core themes including the history and development/aid  functions of key international organisations.
The second part will consider by means of national case studies, the contemporary issues in which these agencies have been closely involved.
These issues include eg measures to:
• combat gender inequality,
• achieve economic stability and growth,
• reform ‘governance’,
• eradicate corruption,
• modernise civil services,
• reconstruct ‘failed’ states,
• achieve millennium development goals
A key focus throughout will be to evaluate the effectiveness of such ‘aid’ through rigorous analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.

The course will be delivered primarily through lecture and student led seminar/discussion. The use of major development databases will be encouraged.

At the end of the module the student will be able to:
1. Critically evaluate the structures, functions and impact on developing societies of the major multilateral agencies such as the IMF, World Bank, and INGO’s using examples from specific country case studies.
2. Describe and use the contrasting theoretical models that have been given to explain the activities of these agencies
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of  contrasting development strategies.

The course will be assessed by means of student presentation (30%) and a final written assignment (70%).
These are designed to ensure that a depth and range of knowledge is acquired and demonstrated. They also provide an opportunity to further develop a variety of transferable skills. The written assignment provides an opportunity to exercise initiative in topic choice and to undertake guided independent learning. The seminar presentation will provide an opportunity to demonstrate critical awareness in relation to the particular topic under consideration, exercise transferable skills and develop a degree of specialisation within the module syllabus.

Margaret P. Karns, Karen A. Mingst (2010)  International organizations : the politics and processes of global governance, Lynne Rienner Publishing.
Rittberger,V and Zangl, B (2006) International organization: polity, politics and policies Palgrave Macmillan
Rieff, D (2002) A bed for the night: humanitarianism in crisis  Vintage
Moyo, D (2009) Dead Aid: Why aid is not working and how there is another way for Africa   NY: Farrar Strauss
Collier, P (2008) Why the poorest countries are failing and what can be done about it   OUP
Easterly, W (2007) The white man’s burden: why the West’s efforts to aid the rest have done so much ill and so little good   OUP
Burnell, P and Randall, V (2005) Politics in the developing world  Oxford   - see especially the case studies of particular countries in part 5
Allen, T and Thomas, A ‘Poverty and development into the 21st century’  OUP
Kothari, U and Minogue, M (eds) Development theory and practice: critical perspectives  Palgrave  pp1-15
Burnell, P (2000) Democracy assistance in international co-operation for democratization  Routledge
World Bank (2000) Reforming public institutions and strengthening governance   World Bank: Washington DC
Harrison, G (2004)  The world bank and Africa: the construction of governance states  Routledge
World Development Report (2003) Sustainable development   World Bank: Washington DC
Black, R and White, H (2004) Targeting development: critical perspectives on the millennium development goals    Routledge
Mallaby, S (2005) The world’s banker: a story of failed states, financial crises and the wealth and poverty of nations  Yale
Chua, A (2003) World on fire: how exporting free market democracy breeds ethnic hatred and global instability   NY Doubleday

Websites

www.dfid.gov.uk  UK Department for International Development
www.worldbank.org   The World Bank
www.odi.org.uk  overseas development institute
www.imf.org   The International Monetary Fund
http://www.oecd.org/department/0,2688,en_2649_33721_1_1_1_1_1,00.html
development assistance committee (DAC) of OECD
http://www.hiid.harvard.edu/    Harvard institute for international development
http://home.developmentgateway.org/     
www.un.org  United Nations
www.ids.ac.uk  institute for development studies
www.sed.manchester.ac.uk  Institute for development policy and management
http://www.oxfam.org.uk  oxfam
http://www.who.int      world health organization