University of Essex

GV216-5-SP-CO:
Development, N.G.Os and Foreign Aid

The details

Year: 2023/24

Department: Government

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Spring

Level: Undergraduate: Level 5

Status: Current

Start date: Monday 15 January 2024

End date: Friday 22 March 2024

Credits: 15

Last updated: 19 May 2022

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

BA L900 International Development,
BA L901 International Development (Including Year Abroad),
BA L902 International Development (Including Placement Year),
BA L921 International Development (Including Foundation Year)

Module description

This module examines international development and foreign aid combining theory, empirics and practice.

In the first part of the module, we examine theories and concepts of development and the evaluation of development interventions. We then focus in on foreign aid.
The second part of the module examines the policies and politics of foreign aid from the perspective of donor countries, international organizations and recipient countries.

The third part of the module examines the, sometimes controversial, role of foreign aid in three issue areas: international security, migration and global health.
Throughout the module, we examine a range of N.G.O. development programmes and their outcomes and, finally, students are given a chance to develop a proposal for a development programme of their own.

Module aims

This module aims to give students:

1. An introduction to theories and concepts of international development, including those used in practical settings by NGOs, intergovernmental organizations and researchers.
2. A multifaceted understanding of foreign aid, by examining three different perspectives: donor countries, intergovernmental organizations and international NGOs, and recipient countries.
3. An examination of important debates in foreign aid through the lens of three important issue areas.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will have:

1. A detailed understanding of key concepts and theories of international development.
2. A critical awareness of the various actors and perspectives in the study of international development.
3. Critical problem-solving skills applied to difficult issues in international development.

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

1 x 2 hour seminar per week

Bibliography

Haynes, J. (2008) ‘What is Development?’, in Development studies. Cambridge: Polity, pp. 1–17.
Banerjee, A.V. and Duflo, E. (no date) ‘The Economic Lives of the Poor’, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 21(1), pp. 141–168. Available at: https://search-ebscohost-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=24284344&site=ehost-live&authtype=sso&custid=s9814295.
Simmons, P.J. (no date) ‘Learning to Live with NGOs’, Foreign Policy, (112), pp. 82–96. Available at: https://search-ebscohost-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=1071351&site=ehost-live&authtype=sso&custid=s9814295.
Robeyns, I. (no date) ‘The Capability Approach in Practice*’, Journal of Political Philosophy, 14(3), pp. 351–376. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9760.2006.00263.x.
Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) (no date) Introduction to Evaluations. The Legal Education Foundation. Available at: https://research.thelegaleducationfoundation.org/research-learning/learning-through-our-grant-making/introduction-to-randomised-evaluations.
Burnside, C. and Dollar, D. (no date) ‘Aid, Policies, and Growth’, The American Economic Review, 90(4), pp. 847–868. Available at: https://search-ebscohost-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=3590867&site=ehost-live&authtype=sso&custid=s9814295.
Easterly, W. (no date a) ‘Can Foreign Aid Buy Growth?’, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 17(3), pp. 23–48. Available at: https://search-ebscohost-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=10879900&site=ehost-live&authtype=sso&custid=s9814295.
Alesina, A. and Dollar, D. (no date) ‘Who Gives Foreign Aid to Whom and Why?’, Journal of Economic Growth, 5(1), pp. 33–63. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/40216022.
Hertz, N. (no date) ‘Why We Must Defuse The Debt Threat’, Contributions to Political Economy, 24(1), pp. 123–133. Available at: https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/cpe/bzi006.
Johansson, P. (no date) ‘Debt Relief, Investment and Growth’, World Development, 38(9), pp. 1204–1216. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2009.11.021.
Easterly, W. (no date b) ‘How Did Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Become Heavily Indebted? Reviewing Two Decades of Debt Relief’, World Development, 30(10), pp. 1677–1696. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(02)00073-6.
Karns, M.P., Mingst, K.A. and Stiles, K.W. (2015) ‘Promoting Economic Well-Being and Human Development’, in International organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance. 3rd edn. Boulder, US: Lynne Rienner Publishers, pp. 425–466.
Dietrich, S. (no date) ‘Bypass or Engage? Explaining Donor Delivery Tactics in Foreign Aid Allocation*’, International Studies Quarterly, 57(4), pp. 698–712. Available at: https://search-ebscohost-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=92886740&site=ehost-live&authtype=sso&custid=s9814295.
Banks, N. and Hulme, D. (2012) ‘The Role of NGOs and Civil Society in Development and Poverty Reduction’, Brooks World Poverty Institute Working Papers. Manchester, UK: University of Manchester. Available at: https://www.gdi.manchester.ac.uk/research/publications/gdi-working-papers/bwpi-wp17112/.
Green, D. (2012) ‘Introduction’, in From Poverty to Power: How Active Citizens and Effective States Can Change the World. 2nd edn. Rugby, UK: Practical Action, pp. 1–14. Available at: https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/from-poverty-to-power-2nd-edition-how-active-citizens-and-effective-states-can-249411/.
Ezrow, N., Frantz, E. and Kendall-Taylor, A. (2016b) ‘Foreign Aid and NGOs’, in Development and the State in the 21st Century: Tackling the Challenges Facing the Developing World. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 278–301. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/reader.action?docID=4763198&ppg=291.
Rutzen, D. (no date) ‘Authoritarianism Goes Global (II): Civil Society Under Assault’, Journal of Democracy, 26(4), pp. 28–39. Available at: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/595920.
Clemens, M.A. and Postel, H.M. (2018) ‘Deterring Emigration with Foreign Aid: An Overview of Evidence from Low-Income Countries.’ Washington, US: Center for Global Development. Available at: https://www.cgdev.org/publication/deterring-emigration-foreign-aid-overview-evidence-low-income-countries.
Raty, T. and Shilhav, R. (2020) ‘The EU Trust Fund for Africa: Trapped Between Aid Policy and Migration Politics.’ Nairobi, KE: Oxfam. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21201/2020.5532.
Rubenstein, J.C. (2015) ‘The Problem of Spattered Hands’, in Between Samaritans and States: The Political Ethics of Humanitarian INGOs. 1st edn. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, pp. 87–114. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199684106.003.0004.
Goodhand, J. and Chamberlain, P. (no date) ‘“Dancing with the Prince”: NGO’s Survival Strategics in the Afghan Conflict’, Development in Practice, 6(3), pp. 196–207. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4029114.
Hübler, M. (no date) ‘The Future of Foreign Aid in a Globalizing World with Climate Change’, Global Policy, 8(1), pp. 41–51. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12351.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Coursework weighting
Coursework	Critical Summary	30%
Coursework	Topic and literature review for Concept note	30%
Coursework	Concept Note	40%

Exam format definitions

Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Dr Miranda Simon, email: miranda.simon@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: Dr. Miranda Simon

Contact details: Module Supervisor: Miranda Simon - miranda.simon@essex.ac.uk / Module Administrator: Jasini Hobbs - govquery@essex.ac.uk

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: Yes

Available to Outside Option: Yes

Available to Audit: No

External examiner

Name: Dr Edward Morgan-Jones

Institution: University of Kent

Academic role: Reader in Comparative Politics

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: Of 20 hours, 20 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

Further information

Department website: Government

Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Module Directory

GV216-5-SP-CO:Development, N.G.Os and Foreign Aid