WINTER 2013 CRN: 44503/44642 SYLLABUS
Over a billion people in the world lack access to safe drinking water, two billion to safe sanitation, and three billion to reliable and safe sources of energy. While numerous technological, medical, and educational solutions have been implemented for the benefit of disadvantaged communities, on-going challenges remain.
Development organizations from volunteer groups like Engineers Without Borders, to non-profits like Mercy Corps to government aid like USAID or intergovernmental efforts through the World Bank all work in partnership with communities and governments in development countries to address their public health needs through assessment, education, appropriate technology, policy, microenterprise and social enterprise.
This course reviews some of the origins of poverty and the current conditions of people in developing countries, and offers some development solutions being pursued around the world. The course hopes to empower students to play an active role in international poverty reduction.
There will be a mid-term essay required based on a topic related to applying your field of study in international development in combination with other fields identified as pertinent to the success of development programs.
The term project will be conducted in multi-disciplinary teams and will include a case study of a international development program, with suggested improvements that may increase the success and accountability of the targeted programs.
Course Outline
The outline below is subject to continuous revision during the quarter. Readings will be updated prior to the class period.
|
Week |
Discussion |
Guest |
Readings – Complete before class session |
|
8-Jan |
Introduction to International Development and Challenges |
|
None |
|
15-Jan |
Appropriate Technology for International Development |
Amanda West - EcoZoom (Presentation) |
Sachs, “The End of Poverty” Introduction, Chapters 12, 13 |
|
22-Jan |
The Sustainable Water, Energy and Environmental Technologies Laboratory
|
Engineers Without Borders-USA Portland State University Chapter |
Hazeltine, Bull “Appropriate Technology: Tools, Choices and Implications” Chapters 1, 2, 13 NYTimes, September 26, 2011 – “An entrepreneur creating chances at a better life”. - Polak
“The Price is Wrong” – Abdul Jameel Poverty Action Lab
|
|
29-Jan |
Competing views on international development challenges |
Kay Mattson – Evaluating International Development |
Cooke, Kothari, “Participation – The New Tyranny?” Chapters 1, 2, 3 Andersson, “Aid, Incentives and Sustainability,” Executive Summary, Chapter 1 |
|
5-Feb |
Climate Change and Sustainable Development |
Jennifer Allen – Institute for Sustainable Solutions |
Dawson, Spannagle, “The Complete Guide to Climate Change” Carbon and Health excerpts |
|
12-Feb |
Volunteer Opportunities |
Andrea Crosby (TBC) – Peace Corps |
The United Nations Millennium Development Goals Report, 2011 |
|
19-Feb |
Career Opportunities |
Dexter Gauntlett (TBC) – Green Empowerment |
|
|
26-Feb |
Public Health and International Development |
Jay Kravitz – OHSU – “Risk communication and its relevance to all disciplines” |
Banerjee, Duflo, “Poor Economics” Ch 3 Garret, Laurie, The Challenge of Global Health, Foreign Affairs 2007 NPR “Island Time” This American Life “Another Narrows Bridge Milestone” Kluger “Why We Worry about the Things We Shouldn’t and Ignore the Things We Should” |
|
5-Mar |
Challenges and opportunities for accelerating impact through social enterprise |
Jacen Greene – Social Business Design |
Greg Dees, “Creating large-scale change: Not ‘can’ but ‘how’” Dees, “The Meaning of Social Entrepreneurship” |
|
12-Mar |
Final Presentation |
|