Tel: 725-9704 or 324-3454 Office: Bldg.100 (inner quad) Rm 102G
EM: armin@stanford.edu Office hours: M & W 3 to 6 pm.
I.R. 135; Anthro Sci and HumBio. 152
Environment and Growth in Developing Countries
M/W 1:15-2:45 in Encina West 202
Fall 2005
A. Overview
This advanced and highly participatory seminar will compare and contrast the environmental and development policies of eight developing countries as they cope with the pressures of economic growth and its attendant pollution and resource depletion. Four of the eight countries are China, India, Nigeria and Brazil. The class will choose the remaining four developing countries – two Asian, one African and one Latin American. The seminar will open with a review of the dilemma facing most developing countries in industrializing and modernizing, while also protecting their environment, and discussing the “resource curse.” Working in four teams, class members will help organize the readings for the four class-chosen countries from web and library sources. Materials will be assessed by Armin before they are uploaded onto Coursework. We will spend a week on each of the eight countries--relying, when possible, on outside experts.
B. Seminar Responsibilities
Class members will be expected to have completed the week's reading and be prepared to comment on it. Three class members will be responsible for each one of the eight developing countries and will co-lead one class, using power point, usually on Monday. Besides briefly highlighting the readings, presenters are expected to find new material and engage the class in discussion, role plays etc.
Each seminar member will select a developing country of his/her choice (but not the country chosen for the class presentation) and will write a research paper of about 15 pages, in two drafts, analyzing some aspect of that country's environmental and/or development policies and their effectiveness. The final week will be spent on power point presentations of those papers and on deriving common themes.
C. Required Materials
Introductory materials on Coursework website, including excerpts from Ascher and T. Karl .
Weekly readings on Coursework.
Books you might consult:
Steinberg, Environmental Leadership in Developing Countries, 2001 (success stories: Costa Rica and Bolivia)
Gibson, Politicians and Poachers, 1999 (wildlife policies in Zambia, Kenya and Zimbabwe designed to advance politicians’ interests)
Ross, Timber Booms and Institutional Breakdown in Southeast Asia, 2001 (why Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines squander their forests; how volatile markets plunder resources)
D. Reading Schedule
9/26 1. Getting acquainted with the subject. and one another; forming teams; choosing four additional countries.
9/28 2. Ascher, Why Governments Waste Natural Resources; Karl, The Social Impacts of Oil; and Karl et al. The Bottom of the Barrel: Africa’s Oil Boom and the Poor (last names starting with A-K prepare Ascher; L-R prepare Karl Social Impacts; S-Z prepare Karl, Africa’s Oil Boom).. One page critique of reading required, telling what you learned about economic growth and resource use in developing countries.
10/3- 5. 3. China (10/5 first class presentation)
meetings with Armin on 10/5 and 10/6 re research paper topics.
10/10-12 4. India
ONE PAGE RESEARCH AGENDA DUE, CITING TEN SOURCES
10/17-19 5. Nigeria
10/24-26 6. Brazil
Materials for class-chosen countries due in class on 10/24.
10/31-11/2 7. Indonesia
FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE 11/2
11/7-9 8. Cambodia
CONFERENCES ON PAPER WITH ARMIN
11/14-16 9. The Congo
11/28-30 10. Peru
FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER DUE ON 11/30
12/5-7 11. Presentation of research papers; review of major themes
CONFERENCES ON FINAL PAPER WITH ARMIN
E. Research and Writing Project (FINAL DRAFT DUE on Nov. 30th):
The research paper's subject will be an analysis of some aspect of the environmental and/or development policies of developing country. The organization, format and content of the paper should be similar to a short note in a scholarly journal. The paper should be no longer than 15 double spaced word-processed pages, excluding footnotes. Choose a country that you are particularly interested in. Research paper guidelines will be posted on Coursework.
The first draft (due on Nov. 2nd) should contain all of your research. You should use the time between the two drafts to clarify, refine and better organize the paper rather than do additional research. People presenting the week that drafts are due will get an extension to the weekend.
F. Communality
The first few minutes of every class meeting will be available for 'feedback'. Use this time to air any questions or problems. Frequently, the answer to a question will not be immediately available. I will make every effort to research a question or problem before the next class meeting. There will be a class gathering at Kingscote Gardens on the last weekend in October.
G. Participation and Grades
Class participation is vital. This means taking responsibility for speaking up, asking focused questions and offering thoughtful answers.
Calculation: A. Research Paper - 50%
B. Class Presentation – 20%
C. Participation – 20%
D. presentation of research paper – 10%
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