GES2660

Power and poverty: geographies of the third world

Dr Peter Marden, Dr Gale Dixon and Dr Stephen Legg

8 points - 3 hours per week (2 lectures plus a 1-hour tutorial) - First semester - Clayton - Prerequisites: A first-year sequence in geography, or permission of the head of department

Objectives To complete this subject students need to demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of the development experience; be familiar with a range of theoretical approaches to development and the normative context of development language and policy; have a good awareness of the distinctive opportunities and constraints on development in the third world; be able to describe social and environmental impacts of market forces and development policies undertaken by various institutions; interpret the ideological foundations and policy implications of key concepts such as poverty, power and social justice; review and critically analyse popular notions of development and third worldism; and be able to explain the persistence of uneven development and the nature and impact of significant geographic processes such as globalisation.

Synopsis This subject focuses on the interrelated nature of development in the third world with a particular emphasis on issues relating to the dimensions and characteristics of poverty, the impact of power, and the geography of social justice. Major areas of concern will include: patterns of uneven development; processes of cultural innovation and diffusion; population, health and resources; social justice in rural societies; and the business of development. Regional examples will be taken from Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America. The subject will be presented in four parts. In the first, students will be introduced the problematical nature of definitions and the discourse of development, with specific attention given to what is meant by 'development'. Specific attention is given to uneven development and why we make distinctions between First and Third worlds and the implications attached to such distinctions. The second part will focus on a range of problems concerning the social, economic, cultural and environmental dimensions of the interrelated links between population, resources (eg refugee problem) and health issues (eg AIDS and infectious disease) with special attention on their geographical distribution, implications and management. The third part is concerned with agricultural communities whereby notions of tradition and modern are examined in the light of issues about social justice (eg biotechnology and subsistence, agribusiness and indigenous land claims). The final part is concerned with the role of government and non-governmental agencies in bringing about alternative development with attention on the internationalisation of development policy and management. This final part will also include a re-examination of the key concepts of development, poverty, power and social justice.

Assessment Written (3000 words): 45% - Tutorial/practical assignments (1000 words): 20% - Examination (2 hours): 35%

Recommended texts

Auty RM Patterns of development: Resources, policy and economic growth Edward Arnold, 1995
Corbridge S (ed.) Development studies: A reader Edward Arnold, 1995
Hettne B Development theory and the three worlds Longman, 1995
Howitt R (ed.) Resources, nations and indigenous peoples OUP, 1996
Miller M Third world and global environmental politics Lynne Reiner, 1995

Back to the 1999 Arts Handbook