department of geography and planning university of...

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND PLANNING University of Toronto, St. George

Undergraduate Course Syllabus

Winter 2017

COURSE INFORMATION Course GGR420H1-S: Critical Development Geography (10.0 FCEs) Recommended preparation GGR112H1 or GGR124H1, GGR320H1 Time and location Lectures: W 14:00—16:00 Location: TF102 Course instructor Brock Bersaglio Office location: SS 5060 Office hours: W 11:00—14:00 Email: [email protected] Mobile: +1 226 2203283 Twitter: @brocksaglio

Communication guidelines Email me at any time with questions related to the course. You are also free to call me in the case of a course-related emergency. N.B. I may not reply to emails or phone calls over weekends. I will not reply to emails or phone calls about assignments after 17:00 the day before the assignment is due, unless there is an emergency. Please visit me during office hours with any questions or concerns you may have about the course. Check Blackboard regularly for updates, course materials, and important announcements.

© 2014 Bersaglio

GGR420: Critical Development Geography

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Course overview This seminar-style course critically examines the politics, practices, and processes shaping international development from a geographical perspective. Each week will focus on a different issue area, introducing students to key concepts, debates, and theories in critical development geography. The course will begin with an overview of topics related to the historical geography of (uneven) development and development institutions, organizations, and processes. It will then proceed to consider important trends in critical development studies, focusing on thematic areas ranging from “gender, identity, and the politics of difference” to “culture, knowledge, and the politics of change” to “labour, migration, and shifting trajectories of development”. In considering such themes, emphasis will be placed on the politics of difference (e.g. class, gender, identity, and race) and inequality in development. The course will conclude by re-visiting debates on how to define development. Through the course, students will come to understand the merits of critical analysis in development geography. Course assessments are designed to enhance students’ capacities for critically thinking, talking, and writing about the complicated socio-economic and power relationships at play in development, with both academic and non-academic audiences in mind. Learning outcomes By the end of this course, students should be able to… Knowledge-based outcomes Skills-based outcomes 1. Identify, describe, and evaluate key concepts and theories in critical development geography 2. Apply critical theories to the analysis of development issues, practices, and interventions 3. Develop effective arguments based on research and present arguments with a specific audience in mind (i.e. academic and non-academic) 4. Design a case study based research project and communicate the research in writing through a term paper

1. In cooperation with peers, design and deliver a presentation on course readings 2. Communicate the results of teamwork and research with academic and non-academic audiences in mind

Course organization and class format The course is organized around key themes in critical development geography (see “weekly themes and readings” below). Weekly required readings provide students with essential background on concepts, theories, and debates in critical development


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geography that inform in-class discussions, group work activities, and assignments, as well as assignments to be completed by students outside the classroom. Although the format of each class may vary slightly from week-to-week, classes will typically entail: a 15-minute presentation by a group of students, followed by student-led discussion; a short presentation/lecture by the course instructor; and a class activity or group break out session in which students apply course content to a relevant case study. The course instructor will conclude each class to ensure that students leave with an adequate understanding of the concepts and materials covered in class. Required text

Veltmeyer, H. (Ed). (2011). The critical development studies handbook:

Tools for change. Halifax: Fernwood.

This book is for sale in the bookstore. It has also been placed on course reserve in the library. All other readings will be available through e-journals/e-books that can be accessed via the University of Toronto Libraries website or Google Scholar. In addition to required readings, students are asked to closely follow relevant online development news sources throughout the duration of the course. Consider following the news sources listed below online or via Facebook, Twitter, etc. Case studies for Assignments 1 and 2 may be selected from news stories published by such sources.

- IRIN: http://www.irinnews.org/ - ReliefWeb: http://reliefweb.int/ - The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION Assignment Weight Date Description Participation 30% N/A Students must complete all required readings

each week in preparation for active in-class participation. Participation will be graded based on the quality of students’ contributions to in-class discussion periods and activities as well as the quality of assignments produced during in-class group work activities. Students are required to complete and submit regular in-class group work assignments, and to submit individual discussion questions based on the weekly readings to the course instructor before each class. These will be used to track attendance and participation. This aims to assess students’ understanding of course materials while providing them with multiple opportunities to develop teamwork and communication skills.


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Group presentation

15% N/A In groups of ~3, students will present a critical synthesis for one week’s readings. Weeks will be assigned to groups during the first class on 11 January 2017. Presentations will be 15 minutes long, supported by PowerPoint, and include two relevant questions for in-class discussion. Presenters will also facilitate a short in-class discussion session. This exercise aims to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of course concepts and theories while further developing their communication skills.

“Myth busting” (Assignment 1)

20% 22/02/17

Students are required to choose one film related to international development, watch the film on their own time, and write a critical response to the film (~500 words long). The goal of the assignment is for students to interrogate popular representations of international development, “busting” development myths that circulate everyday life. This assignment offers students a creative opportunity to critically engage with international development issues, and to communicate insights from critical development geography with a non-specialist audience in mind. NOTE: The course instructor will provide a list of possible films. Any film not on the list needs to be approve by the professor in advance. The assignment can be submitted at any point in the semester before 22 February 2017.

Assignment 2 10% 15/03/17 Students are required to draft an introductory section (~500 words) for their case study research paper in preparation for Assignment 3. The introduction needs to clearly articulate a research problem, question(s) and/or objectives, and argument. The introduction must also identify the case study that will be investigated, relevant background information about the case, and a paragraph that provides an overview of how the research paper will be organized. Students are required to discuss the assignment with the course instructor no later than two weeks before this assignment is due. This assignment aims to assess students’ proficiency in academic argumentation and research design, providing them with feedback on areas for improvement.

Assignment 3 25% 12/04/17 Together with Assignment 2, the case study research paper (~3,000 words) replaces a final exam in this course. As such, students are required to draw substantially from course


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concepts, discussions, and materials to investigate a contemporary case study related to development. This assignment aims to assess students’ ability analyze and discuss development issues from a critical geographical perspective, with an academic audience in mind. In addition to Assignment 2, including an in person meeting with the course instructor, some class time will be devoted to brainstorming research topics and obtaining feedback from peers.

Extra credit

2% N/A Extra credit is available to students who attend one lecture, presentation, or talk related to international development at the University of Toronto and submit a 250-word critical reflection piece based on the subject matter covered during the event. Information on possible events to attend will be made available on the course website, but no substitutes will be accepted. Students must sign in with the course instructor at the event they attend.

GRADING SCALE

Source: http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/general/grading-policy.


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WEEKLY THEMES AND READING Week 1: 11 January 2017 Course introduction and overview 1. Veltmeyer, H. (Ed). (2011). The critical development studies handbook: Tools for

change (ix, 1—2). Halifax: Fernwood. Suggested reading: Slyck, P. (1997). Repositioning ourselves in the contact zone. College English, 59(2):

149—170. Week 2: 18 January 2017 Why critical development geography? 1. Parpart, J. and Veltmeyer, H. (2011). The evolution of an idea: Critical development

studies. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (4—12). Halifax: Fernwood.

1.1. Escobar, A. (1995). Introduction: Development and the anthropology of modernity.

In A. Escobar, Encountering development: The making and unmaking of the Third World (3—20). Princeton: Princeton University Press.

2. Munck, R. (2011). Critical development theory. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical

development studies handbook: Tools for change (41—45). Halifax: Fernwood. 2.1. Corbridge, S. (2007). The (im)possibility of development studies. Economy and

Society, 36(2): 179—211. Week 3: 25 January 2017 Historicizing the geography of development 1. Polanyi Levitt, K. (2011). Rolling back the canvas of time. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The

critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (14—24). Halifax: Fernwood.

2. Saney, I. (2011). History from a critical development perspective. In H. Veltmeyer

(Ed), The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (24—27). Halifax: Fernwood.


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2.1. Kothari, U. (2005). From colonial administration to development studies: A postcolonial critique of the history of development studies. In U. Kothar (Ed), A radical history of development studies: Individuals, institutions, and ideologies (82—100). London: Zed Books.

2.2. Federici, S. (1990). The debt crisis, Africa, and the new enclosures. Midnight Notes,

10: 10—17. Week 4: 1 February 2017 Economic globalization and its discontents 1. Foladori, G. and Wise, R. (2011). Contemporary capitalism: Development in an era of

neoliberal globalization. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (47—52). Halifax: Fernwood.

1.1. Desai, M. (2000). Globalisation: Neither ideology nor utopia. Cambridge Review of

International Affairs, 14(1): 16—31. 2. Petras, J. (2011). Globalization, imperialism, development. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The

critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (52—56). Halifax: Fernwood.

2.1. Veltmeyer, H. (2005). Development and globalization as imperialism. Canadian

Journal of Development Studies, 26(1): 89—106. Suggested reading: Harvey, D. (2005). Notes towards a theory of uneven geographical development. In H.

Gebhardt, P. Meusburger, and M. Hoyler (Eds), Spaces of neoliberalism: Towards a theory of uneven geographical development (55—89). Heidelberg: Franz Steiner Verlag.

Week 5: 8 February 2017 Development institutions, organizations, and rights 1. Ahooja-Patel, K. (2011). The United Nations and Development. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed),

The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (72—77). Halifax: Fernwood.

1.1. Barnett, M. and Finnemore, M. (2004). Rules for the world: International

organizations in global politics (16—44). Ithaca: London.


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2. Bello, W. (2011). Multilateral organizations in the new (neoliberal) world order. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (77—80). Halifax: Fernwood.

2.1. Patel, R., Balakrishnan, R., and Narayan, U. (2007). Explorations on human rights.

Feminist Economics, 13(1): 87—116. Suggested reading: Barnett, M. and Finnemore, M. (2004). Rules for the world: International organizations in

global politics (1—15). Ithaca: London. Week 6: 15 February 2017 The politics of aid, debt, and (violent) intervention 1. Vasapollo, L. (2011). Aid, debt, and trade: In the vortex of capitalist development. In

H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (84—87). Halifax: Fernwood.

2. Clow, M. (2011). War and development. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical

development studies handbook: Tools for change (102—108). Halifax: Fernwood. 3. Federici, S. (2002). War, globalization, and reproduction. Peace and Change, 25(2):

153—165. 4. Harragin, S. (2004). Relief and an understanding of local knowledge: The case of

Southern Sudan. In V. Rao and M. Walton (Eds), Culture and Public Action (307—327). Stanford: Stanford University Press.

**Reading week: 20-24 February 2017** Week 7: 1 March 2017 Inequality and the “poverty” of development 1. Veltmeyer, H. (2011). The inequality predicament. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical

development studies handbook: Tools for change (112—116). Halifax: Fernwood. 1.1. Wade, R. (2004). On the causes of increasing world poverty and inequality, or why

the Matthew Effect prevails. New Political Economy, 9(2): 163—188. 2. Harriss, J. (2011). The policy dynamics of the war on poverty. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed),



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2.1. Kapoor, I. (2008). The culture of development policy: Basic needs, structural adjustment, good governance, and human rights. In I. Kapoor, The postcolonial politics of development (19—38). London: Routledge.

Suggested reading: AUDIO FILE: Burkett, P. (1990). Poverty crisis in the Third World: The contradictions

of World Bank policy. Monthly Review, 42(7): 20. (Listen/download via the University of Toronto Libraries website.)

Week 8: 8 March 2017 Class and power relationships in development 1. O’Malley, A. (2011). Critical social analysis and development. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed),


2. Kothari, U. (2005). Authority and expertise: The professionalization of international

development and the ordering of dissent. Antipode, 37(3): 425—446. 3. Li, T. (2009). To make live or let die? Rural dispossession and the protection of

surplus populations. Antipode, 41(S1): 66—93. 4. Benería, L. and Sen, G. (1982). Class and gender inequalities and women’s role in

economic development: Theoretical and practical implications. Feminist Studies, 8(1): 157—176.

Suggested reading: Marx, K. and Engels, F. (1965). Manifesto of the Communist Party (29—60). Peking:

Foreign Languages Press. NOTE ODD PAGE FORMATTING. Week 9: 15 March 2017 Gender, identity, and the politics of difference 1. Parpart, J. (1993). Who is the ‘Other’? A postmodern feminist critique of women and

development theory and practice. Development and Change, 24(3): 439—464. 2. Parpart, J. (2011). Gender, empowerment, and development. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed),



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3. MacPhail, F. (2011). Gendering the economy: Implications for critical development thinking and practice. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (149—152). Halifax: Fernwood.

3.1. Harcourt, W. and Escobar, A. (2002). Women and the politics of place.

Development, 45(1): 7—14. Suggested reading: Hall, S. (1996). Gramsci’s relevance for the study of race and ethnicity. In D. Morley and

K. Chen (Eds), Stuart Hall: Critical dialogues in cultural studies (411—441). London; Routledge.

Week 10: 22 March 2017 Culture, knowledge, and the politics of change 1. Parmar, A. (2011). The cultural matrix of development and change. In H. Veltmeyer

(Ed), The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (155—160). Halifax: Fernwood.

1.1. Kapoor, I. (2008). Hyper-self-reflexive development? Spivak on representing the

Third World ‘Other’. In I. Kapoor, The postcolonial politics of development (41—59). London: Routledge.

2. Mooij, J. (2011). Development and change in Asia. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical

development studies handbook: Tools for change (233—237). Halifax: Fernwood. 2.1. Sen, A. (2004). How does culture matter? In V. Rao and M. Walton (Eds), Culture

and Public Action (37—58). Stanford: Stanford University Press. Suggested reading: Enns, C., Bersaglio, B., and Kepe, T. (2014). Indigenous voices and the making of the

post-2015 development agenda: The recurring tyranny of participation. Third World Quarterly, 35(3): 358—375.

Week 11: 29 March 2017 Labour, migration, and shifting trajectories of development 1. Wise, R. and Covarrubius, H. (2011). Migration and development: Labour in the

global economy. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (187—193). Halifax: Fernwood.


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1.1. Harvey, D. (2006). Neo-Liberalism as creative destruction. Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography, 88(2): 145—158.

2. Canterbury, D. (2011). Developing Africa. In H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical

development studies handbook: Tools for change (224—230). Halifax: Fernwood. 2.1. Lumumba-Kasongo, T. (2011). China-Africa relations: A neo-imperialism or a neo-

colonialism? A reflection. African and Asian Studies, 10(2—3): 234—266. Suggested reading: Ferguson, J. and Lohmann, L. (1994). The anti-politics machine: “Development” and

bureaucratic power in Lesotho. The Ecologist, 24(5): 176—181. Week 12: 5 April 2017 Course conclusion and recap 1. Veltmeyer, H. (2011). Pathways of progressive change and alternative development. In

H. Veltmeyer (Ed), The critical development studies handbook: Tools for change (251—260). Halifax: Fernwood.

2. Escobar, A. (2010). Latin America at a crossroads. Alternative modernizations, post-

liberalism, or post-development? Cultural Studies, 24(1): 1—65. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Accessibility Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in this course. In particular, if you have a disability/health consideration that may require accommodations, please feel free to approach me and/or the Accessibility Services Office as soon as possible. I will work with you and Accessibility Services to ensure you can achieve your learning goals in this course. Enquiries are confidential. The UofT Accessibility Services staff (located at 455 Spadina Avenue, 4th Floor, Suite 400) are available by appointment to assess specific needs, provide referrals, and arrange appropriate accommodations. Contact (416) 978-8060 or visit https://www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/as. Course webpages Blackboard includes information that is pertinent to the course. Course handouts and assignments will be posted on Blackboard, where group blog posts also need to be submitted (“course assignments and evaluation” above). The website also includes additional sources and links for those of you who have little background in the course topic, or who wish to know more about a particular issue. Other supplementary materials may be made available as the course progresses. Finally, information about any timetable changes, special events and/or lectures will also be posted on the course website. Please consult the course webpages frequently.


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Library services University of Toronto Libraries provides access to a vast collection of online and print resources to students. Research help is available by phone, e-mail, chat, and in-person. (See Library website for more details.) For more information on services and resources available, visit the Library website: https://onesearch.library.utoronto.ca/. Developing your writing skills The ability to write a well-organized paper in English is an essential university and life skill. Completing the assignment for this course will give you the opportunity to receive advice on weaknesses in your writing skills and on how to improve them. The University of Toronto has excellent Writing Centres (http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/writing-centres/arts-and-science). There are also useful tips on writing at the UofT Writing website (http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/). Make use of it! If you feel that your ideas are great, but you are having trouble expressing them, and you want to further develop your English skills, please consider contacting UofT’s English Language Learning Centre (http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/advising/ell). The ELL has a lot of great resources and forms of support that can help you strengthen your English skills. Plagiarism warning The University of Toronto treats cases of academic misconduct very seriously. Academic integrity is a fundamental value of learning and scholarship at the UofT. Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in this academic community ensures that your UofT degree is valued and respected as a true signifier of your individual academic achievement. The University of Toronto’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters outlines the behaviours that constitute academic misconduct, the processes for addressing academic offences, and the penalties that may be imposed. You are expected to be familiar with the contents of this document. Potential offences include, but are not limited to: In papers and assignments:

• Using someone else’s ideas or words without appropriate acknowledgement. • Submitting your own work in more than one course without permission of the

instructor. • Making up sources or facts. • Obtaining or providing unauthorized assistance on any assignment (this includes

working in groups on assignments that are supposed to be individual work). On tests and exams:

• Using or possessing any unauthorized aid, including a cell phone. • Looking at someone else’s answers. • Letting someone else look at your answers. • Misrepresenting your identity.


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• Submitting an altered test for re-grading. Misrepresentation:

• Falsifying or altering any documentation required by the University, including (but not limited to) doctor’s notes.

• Falsifying institutional documents or grades. All suspected cases of academic dishonesty will be investigated following the procedures outlined in the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters. If you have any questions about what is or is not permitted in this course, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you have questions about appropriate research and citation methods, you are expected to seek out additional information from me or other available campus resources like the College Writing Centres, the Academic Success Centre, or the UofT Writing Website. Distractions during class Students are requested to refrain from any behavior that may cause distractions in class, or show disrespect for other students and the course instructor. Examples include fighting, opening distracting and/or irrelevant web content, unwarranted loudness, using a mobile phone in class, etc. If you need to use a phone for emergency reasons, it is advised that you step out of the class without distracting class proceedings. Drop date (no penalty): 13 March 2017

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