Development and Globalization: Anthropological Perspectives - Period 1

This course looks from an anthropological perspective at the interrelated themes of development and globalization. The historical development of capitalist economies in the ?Global North,? and the ongoing global restructuring of these economies, have great impacts on the economic and social processes in the ?Global South.? State governments, supranational agencies, NGOs, and multinational corporations all invest, or claim to invest, in the social equality and economic growth of so-called developing countries. Yet growth-oriented policies often have negative side effects, such as increased inequality, ecological degradation, cultural hegemony, economic exploitation, and the corrosion of local sovereignty. In this course, we untangle the politics of development that is taking place in the current era of global capitalism. Specifically, we analyze the interactions between (trans)national stakeholders and local populations, whereby we particularly zoom in on how the so-called poor people experience inequality and poverty. We also highlight potential and experienced gaps between intentions and outcomes of development policies and look at what anthropology can contribute to ?development? debates and policy implementation. And, finally, while studying development, we also seek to grasp what globalization actually is and does ? and, likewise, what it is not.

Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.