Economics 265 - Community-Based Development:Development from the Ground Up

Institution:

Bard College

Subject:

Description:

Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, GIS, Human Rights, STS This course critically examines the concept and practice of community-based (or communityled) development as an alternative to the widely studied top-down theories and policies of development. Are the end goals of "development"universal outcomes such as income or relative outcomes that vary with the values of individuals or communities? Conceptualizations of wellbeing in Buddhist and Gandhian thinking are considered to highlight the cross-cultural differences in what constitutes a "good life." The classdevelops a broader definition of development as economic, social, and political empowerment that allows an individual or a community to achieve whatever it is that they value and desire. Also examined are several grassroots development movements that have focused on empowerment; two examples are the microcredit movement that began with the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh and the Sarvodaya Shramadana movement of Sri Lanka. Several innovative ideas that attempt to combine community empowerment with market expansion, such as fair trade, ecotourism, and microcredit, are studied. Throughout the course, the relationship of community-based development with ecological sustainability and political decentralization is highlighted. Prerequisite: Economy 101 or permission of instructor.

Credits:

4.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.bard.edu

Phone Number:

(845) 758-6822

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.