Time Schedule:
Joseph Hannah
SIS 456
Seattle Campus
Relationships among political, social, and economic changes in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Problems of economic and political development, revolution and reform, state-society relations, imperialism and dependency. Offered: jointly with POL S 450.
Class description
Students will develop an appreciation for the complex forces that have shaped “Third World” states and societies. The class will start by discussing various conceptions of “state” and “society.” It will then focus particularly on post-World War II political histories, colonialism and post-colonialism, international political economy, and international development in the Third World. We will examine relationships between the state and different tools of the state and different elements of society, such as borders and maps, ethnicity, religion, and poverty.
Student learning goals
• Students will be exposed to competing theories that are used to explain the nature of the state and society in the Third World;
• Students will get an overview of what kinds of activities and structures are involved in state-society relations;
• Students will develop the critical reading and thinking skills necessary to identify and engage with different state-society issues;
• Students will also practice research, writing, and reading skills to enhance their ability to tackle problems of state-society relations on their own.
General method of instruction
The class will be organized around lectures combined with small group exercises.
Recommended preparation
Required readings are likely to include Joel Migdal, Strong Societies and Weak States; James Scott, Seeing Like a State.
Class assignments and grading
Students will be expected to integrate lectures, required readings, films and newspaper analysis. The research paper will involve multiple drafts, and students will be expected to serve as peer reviewers on early drafts.
See above.
