Culture and Development

Catalog description

The course will examine development theory and the underlying cultural assumptions of Western models of socioeconomic development. It will also study the innovative non- Western models of development such as micro-credit in South Asian and the Confucian- influenced models of development in parts of East and Southeast Asia. This course will identify the ways in which Western cultural assumptions can clash with the cultural underpinnings of many less developed countries. Using the case study method, learners will identify ways in which potential clashes are anticipated based on a region’s history and its cultural underpinnings. Learners will assess the strategies currently used to address development-related challenges and, when appropriate, propose alternative strategies.