Tel: 650-996-3122                       Office: VMH 3131
EM: arminr@umd.edu Office hours: by appointment

PUAF 744
Environment and Development

Wed. 4:15 – 6:45 in VMH 1107
Fall 2006

A. Overview

This advanced and highly participatory seminar will compare and contrast the environmental and development policies of eight developing countries as they cope with the pressures of economic growth and its attendant pollution and resource depletion.  Four of the eight countries, on which we will focus for two weeks each, are China, India, Nigeria and Brazil. The class will choose the remaining four developing countries – two Asian, one African and one Latin American, on which we will focus for one week each. The seminar will open with a review of the dilemmas facing most developing countries in industrializing and modernizing, while also protecting their environment. Introductory readings will be available online.

Working in four teams, class members will help organize the readings for the four class-chosen countries from web and library sources.  Materials will be assessed by Armin before they are photocopied. ` Classes will consist of interactive lectures/discussions led by Armin, student team presentations in power point, and visits from outside experts.

B.  Seminar Responsibilities

Class members will be expected to have completed the week's reading and be prepared to comment on it.  Two or three class members will be responsible for each one of the eight developing countries and will co-lead one class, using power point.

Each seminar member will select a developing country of his/her choice (but not the country chosen for the class presentation) and will write a research paper of about 15 pages, in two drafts, analyzing some aspect of that country's environmental and/or development policies and their effectiveness.  The final week will be spent on power point presentations of those papers and on deriving common themes.

C. Required Materials

Materials on Blackboard website, including excerpts from Ascher and T. Karl.

Books you might consult:

Steinberg, Environmental Leadership in Developing Countries, 2001 (success stories: Costa Rica and Bolivia)

Gibson, Politicians and Poachers, 1999 (wildlife policies in Zambia, Kenya and Zimbabwe designed to advance politicians’ interests)

Ross, Timber Booms and Institutional Breakdown in Southeast Asia, 2001 (why Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines squander their forests; how volatile markets plunder resources)

World Bank, Greening Industry (1999)

D.  Reading Schedule

8/30 1.  Getting acquainted with the subject.and one another; forming teams; choosing four additional countries.

9/6 2. Ascher, Why Governments Waste Natural Resources; Karl, The Social Impacts of Oil; and Karl et al. The Bottom of the Barrel: Africa’s Oil Boom and the Poor (last names starting with A-K prepare Ascher; L-R prepare Karl Social Impacts; S-Z prepare Karl, Africa’s Oil Boom).. Two page critique of reading required, telling what you learned about economic growth and resource use in developing countries.

9/13& 9/20 3. China (9/20: first team presentation)

meetings with Armin on 9/20 re research paper topics.

9/27&10/4 4. India

ONE PAGE RESEARCH AGENDA DUE, CITING TEN SOURCES

10/11&18 5. Nigeria

10/25&11/1 6. Brazil

Materials for second reader due in class on 10/25.

11/8   7. Asia 3

FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE 11/8

11/15 8. Asia 4

CONFERENCES ON PAPER WITH ARMIN

11/15 9. Africa 2

11/22 10. Latin America 2

11/29 FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER DUE

11/29-12/6 11. Presentation of research papers; review of major themes

CONFERENCES ON FINAL PAPER WITH ARMIN

E.  Research and Writing Project (FINAL DRAFT DUE on Nov. 29th):

The research paper's subject will be an analysis of some aspect of the environmental and/or development policies of any developing country.  The organization, format and content of the paper should be similar to a short note in a scholarly journal.  The paper should be no longer than 15 double spaced word-processed pages, excluding footnotes.  Choose a country that you are particularly interested in. Research paper guidelines will be distributed in class.

The first draft (due on Nov. 8th) should contain all of your research.  You should use the time between the two drafts to clarify, refine and better organize the paper rather than do additional research.

F.  Communality

The first few minutes of every class meeting will be available for 'feedback'.  Use this time to air any questions or problems.  Frequently, the answer to a question will not be immediately available.  I will make every effort to research a question or problem before the next class meeting.  There will be a class picnic at 4609 Guilford Road, College Park, on 10/7 or 10/8.

G.  Participation and Grades

Class participation is vital.  This means taking responsibility for speaking up, asking focused questions and offering thoughtful answers.

Evaluation: A.   Research Paper - 40%
B.   Class Presentation – 20%
C. Ascher/Karl critique – 5%
D. Participation – 15%
E. take home final exam – 25%