Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2022 - IS 801 G100

Politics, Institutions and Development (4)

Class Number: 5337

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 10 – Apr 11, 2022: Mon, 6:30–9:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

  • Prerequisites:

    Graduate students enrolled in the MA in International Studies, or permission of the instructor.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

'The quality of institutions' is now said to exercise a crucial influence on the prospects for development, and the course interrogates this claim both through analysis of different paths of economic growth and change across the developing world, and in regard to public administration and development management. It examines development policies and institutional theories, the politics of institutions and state formation, and the relationships between political systems, institutions and patterns of development.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course will be centered around one of the most contested issues in debates on development: what role should the state play? We will begin with a review of traditional conceptualizations of development which continue to dominate the literature. We will then clarify what we mean by “the state” and examine debates – old and new – on how the state should be positioned vis-à-vis the market and society. We will then take a deeper look at the “developmental state” by considering functions that states are uniquely able to perform for the objectives of development, including guaranteeing the rule of law, coordinating and facilitating developmental efforts, and providing capital for development. We will then consider the question of politics: Does regime type matter? Are democratic states better than authoritarian states at doing development? So far, we have considered development within the boundaries of the nation state, but nation states are couched within a global world-system that is highly uneven. We thus return to the concept of “development” to re-consider how, even at the national level, development is structured by global inequalities: How is the very idea of development constructed and disseminated globally? How is national development structured by material and symbolic conditions of global inequality? How has development been practiced in an unequal world? We will conclude with some speculations about the future.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Distinguish between major schools of thought within the literature on development
- Understand key debates around institutions and development
- Apply theoretical concepts to the analysis of real-world events
- Improve skills in writing

Grading

  • Participation 30%
  • Weekly Memos 30%
  • Final Paper 40%

NOTES:

Students will be required to submit their written assignments to Turnitin.com in order to receive credit for the assignments and for the course.

The School for International Studies strictly enforces the University's policies regarding plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. Information about these policies can be found at: http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/teaching.html.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Students are not required to purchase any books or a course kit. All readings for this course are available through the SFU library or on Canvas.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN SPRING 2022

Teaching at SFU in spring 2022 will involve primarily in-person instruction, with safety plans in place.  Some courses will still be offered through remote methods, and if so, this will be clearly identified in the schedule of classes.  You will also know at enrollment whether remote course components will be “live” (synchronous) or at your own pace (asynchronous).

Enrolling in a course acknowledges that you are able to attend in whatever format is required.  You should not enroll in a course that is in-person if you are not able to return to campus, and should be aware that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who may need class or exam accommodations, including in the context of remote learning, are advised to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112) as early as possible in order to prepare for the spring 2022 term.