Developing World 2010-2011

Annual Editions: Developing World, 09/10 Preface Correlation Guide Topic Guide Internet References UNIT 1: Understanding the Developing World Unit Overview 1. The New Face of Development, Carol Lancaster, Current History, January 2008 The nature and emphasis of development has shifted as some progress on reducing poverty has been achieved. While poverty continues to be a challenge, especially in subSaharan Africa, development has increasingly come to be identified with human development, civil and political rights, security, and sustainability. Government to government aid programs are increasing through the efforts of civil society organizations, philanthropists, and multinational corporations. Technology has also helped shift development emphases. 2. How Development Leads to Democracy: What We Know about Modernization, Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel, Foreign Affairs, March/April 2009 A reinterpretation of modernization theory in a way that emphasizes the cultural changes that accompany this process helps to explain how pressures for democracy push societies toward greater openness and political participation. A key component is the connection between economic development and changes in society, culture, and politics that promotes tolerance, encourages self-expression, and fosters political participation. 3. The Ideology of Development, William Easterly, Foreign Policy, July/August 2007 William Easterly argues that the development model advocated by international financial institutions and the UN amounts to a discredited ideology. He criticizes the view that development is a problem that can be solved by externally imposed technical plans, which often fail to take the local politics and economics into account. Instead, development should rely on the ability of people to make their own choices, benefit from their successes, and learn from the failures. 4. Africa's Village of Dreams, Sam Rich, Wilson Quarterly, Spring 2007 Economist Jeffrey Sachs has initiated an ambitious program to alleviate poverty in Africa. The Millennium Villages Project is an effort to help people out of poverty by injecting large sums of aid into villages to boost agricultural production, improve health care, and provide schooling. The effort is controversial and critics question its sustainability over the long run. 5. The Case against the West: America and Europe in the Asian Century, Kishore Mahbubani, Foreign Affairs, May/June 2008 Kishore Mahbubani argues that the West is declining and is unable to recognize that a new era is underway. This failure to recognize its diminishing influence is evident in the West's approach to intervention, nuclear non-proliferation, international trade, international law and organization, and the environment. The West's positions on these issues represent an effort to preserve the status quo rather than usher in a more just and stable world order. 6. Development as Poison: Rethinking the Western Model of Modernity, Stephen A. Marglin, Harvard International Review, Spring 2003 The West's conception of development emphasizes markets and assumes that following its lead will result in development. In reality, Western culture undermines indigenous cultures, especially those of communities. The West should realize that the values underlying its culture are not necessarily universal. UNIT 2: Political Economy and the Developing World Unit Overview 7. Industrial Revolution 2.0, Antoine van Agtmael, Foreign Policy, January/February 2007 Emerging markets are rapidly becoming major economic players in the global economy. Multinational corporations headquartered in developing countries are increasingly challenging western companies in technology, marketing, and design. Moreover, emerging market economies will be larger than the economies of the United States, Western Europe, and Japan by 2035. The West will have to formulate a response to this global shift in economic power. 8. The Toxins Trickle Downwards, The Economist, March 14, 2009 Although poor countries did not contribute to the factors that led to the global financial mess, they will feel the effects as investments will dry up, aid drops, commodity prices decline, and unemployment rises. Coming on the heels of a decade of growth that has lifted millions out of poverty, the consequences of the global recession will be severe in the developing world. 9. The Poor Man's Burden, William Easterly, Foreign Policy, January/February 2009 The recent world financial crisis may result in greater government intervention in the economy, especially in poor countries. William Easterly argues that a return to policies reminiscent of the early years of development economics would have an adverse effect on the prospects for prosperity among the poor. The response to the financial crisis should be to avoid protectionism, resist extensive regulation, and be wary of top-down development strategies. 10. Social Justice and Global Trade, Joseph Stiglitz, Far Eastern Economic Review, March 2006 Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz argues that there is something wrong with the global trading system. The industrialized world's tariffs on developing countries ' products are four times the developing world's levies on rich countries ' products. Poor countries are pressured to open their markets and eliminate subsidies, while the barriers to rich countries ' markets remain. 11. Cotton: The Huge Moral Issue, Kate Eshelby, New African, January 2006 Cotton production in poor countries is threatened by the subsidies paid to farmers in industrialized countries. Cotton subsidies in the United States exceed the GDP of Burkina Faso, a poor cotton-producing country. Because of these subsidies, there is overproduction that in turn results in lower prices for poor farmers. Although WTO rules prohibit subsidies that distort trade, rich countries are yet to eliminate them. 12. Across Globe, Empty Bellies Bring Rising Anger, Marc Lacey, The New York Times, April 18, 2008 A growing global food crisis is threatening the world's poorest with starvation, and with eroding gains made by the working and middle classes, as well. Triggered by rising demand, high oil prices, and diversion of agricultural production to biofuel, food prices have skyrocketed. Across the globe, hungry citizens have taken to the streets to protest rising prices threatening the political stability of the countries. 13. The Politics of Hunger, Paul Collier, Foreign Affairs, November/December 2008 The sharp increase in food prices since 2005 has had an enormous impact in the developing world, triggering food riots in some countries and threatening longer-term consequences for the poor if prices remain high. Noted economist Paul Collier argues that to address the food crisis, the world needs to shift the emphasis from small-to large-scale farming, embrace new technology, especially genetic modification, and stop subsidizing biofuel production. 14. The New Colonialists, Michael A. Cohen, Maria Figueroa Kupcu, and Parag Khanna, Foreign Policy, July/August 2008 Non-governmental organizations are taking on increasing responsibility for humanitarian aid and development. As a result, state capacity to deal with these challenges is being undermined and the safety net that these organizations provide may allow incompetent governments to avoid accountability. An increasing amounts of aid is being both provided by and channeled through NGOs. The trend toward greater NGO responsibility is controversial. 15. Power to the People, Eric Werker, Foreign Policy, November/December 2008 Challenging the notion that NGOs are best suited to meet the needs of the world's poor, Eric Werker argues that distributing relief vouchers to the poor and allowing them to make choices is a better solution than distributing food handouts, which may adversely affect local food markets. While acknowledging that this practice has its drawbacks, it has already been used with some success and he advocates for its expansion. 16. The Micromagic of Microcredit, Karol Boudreaux and Tyler Cowen, Wilson Quarterly, Winter 2008 Since Muhammad Yunis founded the Grameen Bank some three decades ago, microcredit has become a worldwide phenomenon. Although it is has attracted some criticism, the success of microcredit has been touted as a major contribution to poverty reduction. Critics claim microfinance loans have exorbitant interest rates and that they help finance consumption more than business expansion. Boudreaux and Cowen argue that despite the criticism, microloans can have a significant impact on the lives of the poor. 17. The Coming Revolution in Africa, G. Pascal Zachary, Wilson Quarterly, Winter 2008 After years of stagnation, Africa is experiencing a dramatic increase in agricultural production. Farmers across the continent are taking advantage of increased demand, relatively low land and labor costs, and even cell phones to boost agricultural output. A shift in emphasis by international aid agencies and multinational corporations is also contributing to the recent rural economic success. UNIT 3: Conflict and Instability Unit Overview 18. The End of War?, Gregg Easterbrook, The New Republic, May 30, 2005 Contrary to popular perception, the level of conflict in the world has declined over the past fifteen years. This has been accompanied by an increase in the presence of factors that promote peace including economic prosperity, free elections, more stable governments, more peacekeeping institutions, and greater international engagement. There has also been a decline in worldwide military spending. The end of the Cold War and great power conflicts, along with more effective peacekeeping, have also contributed to a decline in conflict. 19. Fixing a Broken World, The Economist, January 31, 2009 Weak and failed states pose both obstacles to development as well as security challenges. Although there may be some debate over terminology, it is clear that the lack of state capacity results in widespread poverty and deprivation while also providing space for terrorists and criminals to operate with impunity. Moreover, problems in weak and failed states can spill over into neighboring states, damaging their economies and expanding insecurity. 20. The Roots of Failure in Afghanistan, Thomas Barfield, Current History, December 2008 Conditions in Afghanistan have deteriorated, with violence becoming more widespread. Failure to deploy sufficient troops, the decision to centralize state control, failure to appreciate the magnitude of the country's economic and infrastructure needs, and the belief that Pakistan was a willing and able ally in the effort to secure stability have contributed to growing alarm, an increased U.S. presence, and heightened insecurity. 21. Pakistan's Perilous Voyage, Farzana Shaikh, Current History, November 2008 Pakistan's political turmoil stems from competing power centers vying for control of the state. In the scramble, the moderate middle, which has traditionally helped bridge the gap between western policy preferences and those of the broader electorate, is steadily shrinking. This comes at a time of heightened western concern, especially in the United States, that despite substantial military aid, Pakistan cannot or will not take on Taliban and al Qaeda forces. 22. The Shiite "Threat" Revisited, Augustus Richard Norton, Current History, December 2007 The war in Iraq has renewed concerns about the establishment of a Shite crescent in the Middle East. Iran's growing influence in Iraq, Hezbollah's strength in Lebanon, and increasing Shiite influence in the Gulf states, especially Bahrain, have also raised fears that Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence will escalate. 23. The Most Dangerous Place in the World, Jeffrey Gettleman, Foreign Policy, March/April 2009 Without a functioning government since 1991, Somalia has become a haven for pirates, warlords, Islamist extremists, and a variety of other dangerous actors. The emergence of the Islamic Courts Union brought a brief period of reduced chaos, but concerns about their ties to Islamic radicals led the United States to first back discredited warlords and then support an Ethiopian invasion of the country. Now that the Ethiopians have withdrawn, the weak transitional government faces renewed fighting. 24. Will the Kenyan Settlement Hold?, Joel D. Barkan, Current History, April 2008 Delays in reporting the vote totals and suspicion about manipulation of the results of Kenya's 2007 elections sparked widespread ethnic violence between supporters of the two main candidates. The fighting claimed hundreds of lives and devastated the economy. Negotiations between President Mwai Kibaki and challenger Raila Odinga produced a power sharing agreement, but it remains to be seen whether it will prevent further unrest. 25. Mexico's Drug Wars Get Brutal, Francisco E. Gonzalez, Current History, February 2009 The violence related to Mexican drug cartels has intensified as the government has taken steps to reduce drug trafficking. Corruption and jurisdictional overlap have complicated the government's efforts to reduce the drug trade. As the crackdown has produced arrests, competition to take over this lucrative business has fueled mounting violence between the cartels and brazen attacks against government forces. 26. Dangerous Liaisons, Alice O'Keeffe, New Statesman, April 14, 2008 The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) continue to wage a costly war with the Colombian government, but according to public opinion polls, its public support has shrunk dramatically. Once a leftist guerrilla movement, it is now better known for its kidnappings, involvement in the drug trade, and links to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The FARC's tarnished reputation has discredited the left and allowed President Uribe to implement controversial policies with little opposition. 27. Call in the Blue Helmets, The Economist, January 6, 2007 The number of peacekeeping troops and military observers worldwide has grown dramatically since 1998. Although some of this growth suggest that conflicts are winding down, the conflict in Darfur illustrates the continuing need for peacekeepers. This proposed operation demonstrates the challenges of mounting a successful peacekeeping operation. A proposal to create a standing force to respond more quickly to crises has made only a slight progress. UNIT 4: Political Change in the Developing World Unit Overview 28. Asia's Democracy Backlash, Joshua Kurlantzick, Current History, November 2008 Many Asian nations have turned away from democracy recently, and these undemocratic trends threaten to undermine progress made in the region. A declining American image coupled with Chinese and Russian gains tied to their policies of non-interference have fueled this backlash. The military has intervened in politics in several countries while reforms are threatened in others. 29. India Held Back, Sumit Ganguly, Current History, November 2008 India is becoming a major power in Asia, but it faces significant challenges in sustaining its influence. Poverty is a persistent problem, there is considerable ethnic, religious, and political turmoil, and India must continue to carefully manage relations with an increasingly fragile Pakistan. 30. Bring Me My Machine Gun, Scott Johnson and Karen MacGregor, Newsweek, April 27, 2009 South Africa's April 2009 elections again provided the ruling African National Congress(ANC) wih an overwhelming victory. Unlike his predecessors, new president Jacob Zuma has no formal education and identifies strongly with his Zulu ethnic roots. Imprisoned for ten years and then rising to the post of ANC chief of intelligence during the struggle against apartheid, Zuma more recently has been accused of corruption and in 2006 he was acquitted on rape charges. It remains to be seen whether Zuma can manage the various competing interests in South Africa. 31. Who Will Speak for Islam?, John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed, World Policy Journal, Fall 2008 Drawing on extensive interviews throughout the Muslim world, Esposito and Mogahed present results that conflict with conventional wisdom, especially regarding views of the West, women's rights, and the appeal of radicalism. The results of these surveys indicate support for democracy and an admiration for western values of free speech, rule of law, and self-determination. They also indicate a clear rejection of terrorism. 32. Free at Last?, Bernard Lewis, Foreign Affairs, March/April 2009 Bernard Lewis contends that the Arab world consists of two types of regimes: those that depend on loyalty and those that depend on obedience. Both of these models are becoming less effective as people begin to seek new forms of government not based primarily on loyalty and even less on repression. Prospects for greater democracy in the Middle East will depend on the outcome of the struggle between those who blame the region's ills on outside actors and those who hold the current leadership responsible. 33. Iran in Search of Itself, Mahmood Sariolghalam, Current History, December 2008 Iran recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of its 1979 revolution. The factors that helped to shape that upheaval continue to influence Iranian politics. Skepticism about foreign involvement, the influence of Islam, and aversion to westernization have characterized Iran's foreign policy but support for reform, especially among the growing population of those born since the revolution, will have an impact on Iran's economy and political image in the future. 34. Lula's Brazil: A Rising Power, but Going Where?, Andrew Hurrell, Current History, February 2008 Brazil has emerged as both a regional and international power. In conjunction with India and South Africa, Brazil has been in the forefront of a coalition of developing countries that have pressed for the elimination of rich countries ' agricultural subsidies. Brazil is also seen as a moderating influence in Latin America. President Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva's government is trying to balance its regional and global roles. 35. An Empty Revolution: The Unfulfilled Promises of Hugo Chavez, Francisco Rodriguez, Foreign Affairs, March/April 2008 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has drawn the support of the country's poor by claiming to have poured money into subsidizing food, redistributing land and wealth, and increasing spending on health and education. Economist Francisco Rodriguez examines the results of these efforts and concludes that the reality has not matched the rhetoric. There is little evidence that Chavez's anti-poverty programs have worked. UNIT 5: Population, Resources, Environment, and Health Unit Overview 36. Booms, Busts, and Echoes, David E. Bloom and David Canning, Finance & Development, September 2006 Most of the world's population growth will occur in the developing world in the future, and this will produce substantial demographic changes. These changes are attributable to falling fertility rates in the developed nations, declining infant and child mortality rates, and longer life expectancy in general. The impact of these changes on the economies of developing countries will be significant and will create a number of policy challenges. 37. Emerging Water Shortages, Lester Brown, The Humanist, March/April 2008 The growing demand for water is rapidly depleting supplies, and water scarcity is resulting in water mining of deep aquifers that cannot be replenished. With most of the population increase of three billion expected by 2050 taking place in the developing world, increased demand for water may lead to declining agricultural production, food scarcity, and the potential for conflict over dwindling supplies. 38. Water Warriors, Maude Barlow, The Nation, April 14, 2008 A serious controversy has developed over the control of vital water resources. On one side are those who view water as a commodity to be privatized and marketed. Pitted against these often powerful interests are grassroots organizations and NGOs who oppose privatization and sale of water. Across Latin America, and in many other parts of the world, opponents of the large companies that market water are demanding that governments say no to privatization and treat access to water as a basic right. 39. Soot from Third-World Stoves Is New Target in Climate Fight, Elisabeth Rosenthal, The New York Times, April 16, 2009 Until recently, the effect of soot from cooking fires in developing countries was not recognized as a major contributor to climate change. The damage from this pollution could be reduced relatively quickly by providing the poor with more efficient cookstoves. Reducing black carbon emissions would also help to reduce the health impact of this pollution. Obstacles to dealing with this problem include the cost of replacing these stoves and resistance to changes in the way food is prepared. 40. Population, Human Resources, Health, and the Environment: Getting the Balance Right, Anthony J. McMichael, Environment, January/February 2008 The 1987 Brundtland Report emphasized the connection between the environment and development. That connection remains important, but if the report were to be updated, Anthony J. McMichael argues that health issues should be added to impact of the environment. A sustainable environment is essential to reducing poverty, providing safe drinking water, fighting undernourishment, and preventing the spread of diseases. 41. Protecting Climate Refugees: The Case for a Global Protocol, Frank Biermann and Ingrid Boas, Environment, November/December 2008 Climate change will produce large numbers of climate refuges in the future. There is currently little international machinery to deal with this problem. A protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change containing provisions for the protection of people uprooted by climate change and environmental degradation is essential to protecting this vulnerable population. 42. Reversal of Fortune: Why Preventing Poverty Beats Curing It, Anirudh Krishna, Foreign Policy, May/June 2006 Recent research suggests that the success in reducing poverty has been offset by large numbers becoming impoverished. The biggest contributor to this trend is the lack of adequate and affordable health care. Illness rapidly deletes resources, often sending families into poverty and debt. Economic growth has to be accompanied by gains in health care to truly reduce poverty. UNIT 6: Women and Development Unit Overview 43. Women's Rights as Human Rights: The Promotion of Human Rights as a Counter-Culture, Zehra F. Kabasakal Arat, UN Chronicle, No. 2/3 2008 The denial of women's rights has a long history. In the 1970s steps to address gender disparity culminated in the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). While CEDAW has been ratified by most countries, its provisions are routinely ignored, often on religious or cultural grounds. Advocates for women's rights must take cultural and religious factors into account. 44. Educating Girls, Unlocking Development, Ruth Levine, Current History, March 2006 The education of girls has the potential to improve not only their lives, but also those of their family and the broader society. Educating girls has been shown to contribute to growth of household and national income, improved health for women and children, and lower fertility rates. These contributions to development make it even more important to focus on girls ' school enrollments and completion, especially for those belonging to ethnic and linguistic minorities. 45. Education: It's Not Just about the Boys. Get Girls into School, Jonathan Alter, Newsweek September 29, 2008 Educating girls is especially important because they have a greater tendency to give back to their families. In addition, education delays marriage, reduces the number of children a woman will have, and decreases infant and child mortality rates. Education also reduces the incidence of female genital mutilation and makes women threee times less likely to contract HIV. 46. Women in the Middle East: Progress and Backlash, Nikki R. Keddie, Current History, December 2008 The struggle for women's rights in the Middle East has been successful in some countries while in others, the results have been variable. Morocco has made considerable progress, although conservatives continue to oppose equality for women. In Iran, women have seen their fortunes rise and fall with the country's political shifts. In other countries, women's advances have come under attack by conservative forces, and opposition to women's rights remains strong. 47. Women in Developing Countries 300 Times More Likely to Die in Childbirth, Sarah Boseley, The Guardian, January 15, 2009 Women in poor countries are far more likely than women in wealthy countries to die during childbirth. In many cases, these women die of preventable causes or lack of access to health care professionals during childbirth. The underlying cause has to do with the status of women and a failure to adequately secure women's rights. 48. Recession Hits Women in Developing Countries, Olivia Ward, The Star, March 8, 2009 Already struggling with the consequences of poverty, women are much more likely to be affected by the global recession. Women who work as domestic workers and in the service sector are at greater risk of losing their jobs. Rising food prices also disproportionately affect women who earn less than men. Women are also more vulnerable to human trafficking and domestic violence in tough economic circumstances. Test-Your-Knowledge Form Article Rating Form