First-Year Research Seminar: Looking at Development:Power and Progress in the Modern World

Catalog description

Development—in the most basic, common-sense use of the term—is about making lives better. But what counts as “better”, and for whom? And how have modern societies across the “First” and “Third” Worlds sought to realize their visions of progress? We will explore these questions by interrogating the dominant ways in which the world is seen in the eye of Development - its “world-view”, so to speak. In effect, we will be looking at development by examining how development itself looks: its view of societies, of the “Third World”, of the “poor”, of labor, of nature, of women, and of the body. These are some of the key themes that we will tune into, as we analyze the histories of colonialism, modernity, and development that have shaped our contemporary existence. Alongside, we will also explore the problems and prospects of putting development ideas into practice in specific areas of concern, such as poverty, food insecurity and environmental degradation. The material for this course primarily draws upon development theory, anthropological analysis, and historical inquiry, supplemented by poetic and documentary sources. We will also make a field visit to a local non-profit. Students with cultivate their research ability by working on three reflection papers, and one final research paper with guidance provided at each stage. Students will also implement a multi-media group project with an oral and written component, which will enable them to grapple with the politics and practice of a specific development issue of their own choice.