Development Issues in the Global Context

Catalog description

Local communities - in both developed and developing countries -- are influenced by strong global forces that affect the well-being of their residents. Community economic development is one approach to enhance improve economic outcomes. This course will use an issue-oriented approach to help students understand economic development patterns and resultant issues in the U.S. as compared to what is observed and what is of critical concern in other places. Topics will include the concept of globalization, economic restructuring trends, investment in human capital and the ability to retain this often mobile form of capital, migration and change in patterns of migration, and environmental effects of development in different contexts. Each year that the course is taught, there will be a focus on patterns of economic development by region in the U.S. but with comparisons to three other selected countries -- one in Latin America, one in Asia and one in Africa. Students will be encouraged to compare and contrast economic and related social issues that arise in these contexts, with particular emphasis given to recent economic trends and events and to the rate of change compared to the past.