Office: 1211 Hershey Hall

Office Hours: Fridays 10-12 pm or by appointment

e-mail: mdesai@ucla.edu

Phone: 5-1313

The term "globalization" has become common parlance now, its use designating the complex, interconnected world we live in. Whether it is the recent Asian economic crisis, the issue of Nike sweatshops, immigration, or the issue of capital flight and job relocation, as in General Motors’ recent lay-offs of auto workers, it is increasingly argued that national boundaries are becoming less relevant to the major decisions which affect our lives. In this course we will examine the question of what effects does this so-called globalization have on the process of development in less industrialized, ‘developing’ countries? What does globalization portend for the future of eradicating poverty in ‘developing’ countries? How do the free trade and liberalization regimes affect such countries? Who benefits and who loses? What effects does integrating into the world market have on women and gender relations, on the environment, and on various disadvantaged groups? In the last section of the course we will examine the dilemmas that developing countries face in this new era.

This course is designed for students who have no background in this topic, as well as for more advanced students. There are two required readings:

1. McMichael, Phillip. 1996. Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective, Pine Forge Press. This is available at the ASUCLA book store.
2. A course reader, which will be available next week at Quinx Copies, Westwood.

There will be an in-class mid-term exam on November 3 (week 5). The final exam will be held on the designated date during finals week, December 17, Friday 3-6 pm. In addition there will be two surprise quizzes. If you miss one you cannot make it up unless there is a documented illness or emergency.

Your grade will be assessed as follows:

Mid-term: 30%

Final: 60%

Two surprise quizzes: 10% (5 points each)

What is ‘development’? What are the main theories that have been used to explain development and underdevelopment?

Mc Michael, D&SC, pps 1-9; Chp 1, "The Rise of the Development Project"

Reader:

Wilber and Jameson, "Paradigms of Economic Development and Beyond"

What is the historical background to the rise of the ‘development project’?

McMichael, D&SC, Chp 2, "The Development Project in Action"

Cumings, "The Origins and Development of the Northeast Asian Political Economy…"

Evans, "Class, State and Dependence in East Asia: Lessons for Latin Americanists"

How did ‘development’ occur in countries that were integrated into the world market? What patterns did they follow? What were the terms under which they were integrated into the global system? What effects did this have upon their economies? Terms: Export Processing Zones (EPZs), Newly Industrializing Countries (NICs), Regionalism

McMichael, D&SC, Chp 3, "A Global Production System"

Reader:

Slections from Sklair, Leslie, Assembling for Development

What is the nature of the emerging ‘consensus’ on the role of states and markets in development since the 1980s? Terms: neo-liberalism, globalization, shock therapy.

Mc Michael, D&SC, Chp 4, "A Global Infrastructure"

Reader:

Skidelsky, "The New Political Economy," "Shock Therapy," and "Repairing the State," pps. 117-160; 187-196.

Bello, Walden, "Reaganism and Rollback," and "Adjustment: The Costs"

MIDTERM on NOVEMBER 3

Mc Michael, D&SC, Chp 5, "The Rise of the Globalization Project"

Reader:

Friedman, pps. 3-93

Martin and Schumann, The Global Trap, pps. 96-138

Schaeffer, "Free Trade Agreements: Their Impact on Agriculture and the Environment"

Llambi, "Opening Economies and Closing Markets: Latin American Agriculture’s Difficult Search for a Place in the Emerging Global Order"

Griffin, Keith, "Regulating World Markets in a Liberal Global Economy"

Giron and Correa, "Global Financial Markets: Financial Deregulation and Crises"

McMichael, D&SC, Chps 6 and 7

Redclift, "Sustainable Development"

Lucie Cheng, "Women and Globalization"

McMichael, D&SC, Chp 8

Giddens, The Third Way, pps. 27-68 and 129-153

Tendler, Judith, Good Government in the Tropics, pps. 1-17, 46-73.