Political Science
University of Alabama, Birmingham
Instructor: Dr. Lisa Sharlach
sharlach@uab.edu MW 3:30-4:45 in UW 130, office hours 10:10-12 M and F in 339D
Phone: 205-934-8675
NORTH-SOUTH INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Course Description:
This class addresses the dynamic relations between developing countries (also
known as “the South,” “the
Third World,” and "LDCs" -- Less Developed Countries) and the advanced
industrialized world (also known as "the North," "the First World," and "the
West").
Course Requirements:
There are two exams and two papers (approximately five pages each) in this class. The grade breakdown is:
Exam I -- 25%
Exam II -- 25%
Paper I -- 20%
Paper II -- 20%
Participation -- 10%. Participation grades are based upon attendance and informed discussion of the readings.
The exams will cover readings and lectures, and it is unlikely that a student would able to pass the class based upon only having done the readings or only having attended lectures. In addition, material from each student's individual research presented in class will appear on the exams.
The first research paper will apply theories from the Young text to a particular colonial or neocolonial episode. Each student will choose a colonial episode from the online books below (the instructor will provide the hyperlinks upon request). As these vary in length, each student will be responsible for reading 75-100 pages of the text that she or he has selected.
First Research Paper Options:
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA. Loskiel, George Henry.History of the mission of the United Brethren among the Indians in North America. In three parts. Translated from the German by Christian Ignatius La Trobe. Online through the 18th Century Collections Online the Sterne Library homepage (see "Databases" and look under "e").
PUERTO RICO. Tugwell, Rexford Guy. The Stricken Land. F 1975 T8 1946.
JAMAICA. Robertson, Robert. The speech of Mr John Talbot Campo-bell, a free Christian-negro, to his countrymen in the mountains of Jamaica. In two parts. ... London, 1736. 90 pp. Social Sciences. Online through the 18th Century Collections Online the Sterne Library homepage (see "Databases" and look under "e").
AFRICA. Latrobe, J.H.B. Biography of Elder Lott Cary, Late Missionary to Africa. With an Appendix on the Subject of Colonization, by J.H.B. Latrobe: Electronic Edition. Taylor, James B. (James Barnet).
AFRICA. Alfred Lee Ridgel Africa and African Methodism. Atlanta, Ga.: Franklin Printing and Publishing Co., 1896. Online at Library of Congress. One cannot link to the page directly, but just search for the title at (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html).
SOUTH AFRICA. Fitzpatrick, J.P. 1900. The Transvaal from Within. DT 2361 F55 1900.
KENYA. Hennings, R.O. 1951. African Morning. DT 433.S4H46.
WEST AFRICA. Mary Kingsley. Travels in West Africa. At Sterne Library, but you must ask for it at Circulation.
CENTRAL AFRICA. Henry Stanley. How I Found Livingstone. DT351 .S78 1969
TUNISIA. Patterson, Madame Barbe. 1908. Chips from Tunis. DT269 T8 P 38.
ALGERIA. Bodley, RUC. 1927. Algeria from Within. DT 280 B55 1927a.
HAWAII. Cheever, Rev. Henry T. The island world of the Pacific; being ... travel through the Sandwich or Hawaiian Islands and other parts of Polynesia. By Rev. Henry T. Cheever ..., Online at Library of Congress. One cannot link to the page directly, but just search for the title at (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html).
BURMA (MYANMAR). Christian, John L. Burma. 1945. DS 527.4C46 1945.
MALAYSIA. Wells, Carveth. 1925. Six Years in the Malay Jungle. DS 592.5 W4.
THAILAND. Leonowens, Anna. The English Governess at the Siamese Court. Online through the 18th Century Collections Online the Sterne Library homepage (see "Databases" and look under "e").
SOUTH AMERICA or CALIFORNIA'S INDIGENOUS OR OREGON'S INDIGENOUS. Sights in the gold region, and scenes by the way. Theodore T. Johnson. Online at Library of Congress. One cannot link to the page directly, but just search for the title at (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html).
The second research paper will address the same geographical region that the student wrote about for the first paper. The second paper should be an assessment of the colonial legacy, poverty, and poverty reduction efforts in that region.
Readings: Much of the course reading may be found on the Internet, and is
linked to the course web page.
This reading is not optional unless clearly marked as such. Each student
is responsible for being familiar with the assigned readings before they are
discussed in class. The class discussions and lectures will supplement, rather
than substitute for, the readings.
Required text:
Young, Robert. , Postcolonialism, (2001).
Assignment Schedule:
Jan. 10 Colonialism, Imperialism (Young, Chs. 2 & 3)
Jan. 12 Neocolonialism, Postcolonialism (Young, Chs. 4 & 5)
Consumption (by Worldwatch Institute)
Jan. 17 MLK Holiday -- No class
Jan 19 Las Casas to Liberalism (Young, Chs. 6 & 7)
Jan 24 Marx to the Russian Revolution (Young, Chs. 8 & 9)
Jan 26 Third International to Fourth International (Young, Chs. 10 & 11)
Jan 31 Marxist Liberation Movements (Young, Chs. 12 & 13)
Feb. 2 China, Egypt, Bandung (Young, Ch. 14)
Please read all pages linked to this online exhibit: Cultural Revolution
Feb. 7 Marxism in South and Central America (Young, Chs. 15-16)
Feb. 9 Liberation in Anglophone Africa (Young, Chs. 17-18)
Feb. 14 Francophone Africa and the Diaspora (Young, Chs. 19-20)
Feb. 16 Indian Nationalism (Young, Chs. 22-23)
Feb. 21 India, continued (Young, Ch.24)
Feb. 23 Women, Gender, and Anti-Colonialism (Young, Ch. 25)
Feb. 28 Said and Foucault (Young, Chs. 26 & 27)
March 2 Derrida and Algeria (Young, Chs. 28 and epilogue)
March 7 IN-CLASS EXAM I.
March 9 FUN-FILLED FILM -- TO BE ANNOUNCED.
March 14 PAPER I DUE. PRESENTATIONS.
March 16 Poverty, North and South-- Global Overview
Animated map on human development
Animated report on meeting Millennium Goals
Human Development and the Millennium Goals (pdf format)
March 21 Children, North and South -- One Planet, Different Worlds
State of the World's Children Report 2005 Please read from the beginning through the second chapter.
March 23 Feast and Famine.
State of Food Insecurity in the World. Please read ONLY the following sections: "Undernourishment Around the World," "Globalization, Urbanization and Changing Food Systems," "Impact of Changing Food Systems on Small Farmers" and "The Way Ahead."
March 27-April 2 SPRING BREAK
April 4 International Financial Institutions
What is the World Bank? Please read all sections under "What is the World Bank?"
Getting to Grips with Debt Relief
Failure of Development Aid (CATO)
April 6 -- PAPER II DUE. PRESENTATIONS.
April 11 Migration: Labor
Congolese Singer in French Court
Billy's Journey Please read this and the other five stories on African emigration from "The Migrant's Trail."
April 13 Migration: Refugees and IDPs
Refugees by the Numbers (UNHCR)
The Road to Refuge Please read all sections.
Q & A - IDPs (from ICRC)
April 18 Migration: Statelessness, Resettlement
Migration: A Historical Perspective
April 20 Globalization, Technology, and the Gap Between North and South
Cast Adrift (Greenpeace)
April 25 -- Final Class. Summary and Review.