AST 282: Poverty, Gender and Development
Course Description:
In the last century the story of India has been characterized as a fledgling democracy emerging from the
confines of British rule to democratic socialism. Bold market reforms instituted in the 1990s has India proudly proclaiming to be the world’s 4th largest economy with an impressive growth rate of 7% per year. However, India still has 29% of its billion plus population, roughly 300 million living on less than a $1 a day. This course will examine the effects of poverty on Human Development Indicators such as Health, Nutrition, Education and the Environment. Since poverty disproportionally has a greater impact on women’s lives, this course will examine poverty’s impact on the cycle of malnutrition, debt, underemployment, oppression and poverty in Indian women’s lives. Existing policies and programs will be evaluated in keeping with India’s progress towards the UN mandated Millennium Development Goals.
Reading List
08/24/11 Placing India in a Globalized World
09/09/11 Gender Discrimination Across the Lifespan
Course Description:
In the last century the story of India has been characterized as a fledgling democracy emerging from the
confines of British rule to democratic socialism. Bold market reforms instituted in the 1990s has India proudly proclaiming to be the world’s 4th largest economy with an impressive growth rate of 7% per year. However, India still has 29% of its billion plus population, roughly 300 million living on less than a $1 a day. This course will examine the effects of poverty on Human Development Indicators such as Health, Nutrition, Education and the Environment. Since poverty disproportionally has a greater impact on women’s lives, this course will examine poverty’s impact on the cycle of malnutrition, debt, underemployment, oppression and poverty in Indian women’s lives. Existing policies and programs will be evaluated in keeping with India’s progress towards the UN mandated Millennium Development Goals.
Reading List
08/24/11 Placing India in a Globalized World
- Readings: 1. Sachs, J.D. (2008). Our crowded planet. In J.D. Sach’s Common wealth: Economics for a crowded planet (pp 17-53). New York: Penguin Press.
- Readings: 2. Sen, A. (2006). Development as Freedom: An India Perspective. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations and Human Resources, 42(2), 157-169.
- Readings: 3. Das, G. (2002). India Unbound. New York: Anchor Books.
- Readings: 3. Das, G. (2002). India Unbound. New York: Anchor Books.
- Draft of MDG paper due
- Readings: 4. Rustogi, P. (2010). The Unwanted girl child. In S. Kumar, P. Panda & R. Ved (Eds.). Handbook of Population and Development (pp 130-137). New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
- Readings: 5. Croll, E. (2000). Endangered daughters discrimination and development in Asia (pp 49-69). New York: Routledge.
09/09/11 Gender Discrimination Across the Lifespan
- Readings: 6. Pandey, A. (2009). Gender differences in early childhood feeding practices. In M. Pal, P. Bharati, B Ghosh & T.S. Vasulu (Eds.), Gender and discrimination: Health, nutritional status and Role of Women in India (pp. 188-201). New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
- Readings: 7. Gopaladas, T. (2009). Health and nutritional status of school age children: Some gender and age differentials. In M. Pal, P. Bharati, B Ghosh & T.S. Vasulu (Eds.) Gender and discrimination: Health, nutritional status and role of women in India
- Readings: 8. Mohindra, M.A. (2009). Women’s health and poverty alleviation in India (pp25-46). New Delhi: Academic Foundation.
- Film: Missing girls
- Readings: 9. Thomas, R. & Sinha, J.W. (2009). A Critical look at microfinance and NGOs in regard to poverty reduction for women. Social Development Issues, 31(2), 30-42.
- Readings: 10. Mohindra, M.A. (2009). Women’s health and poverty alleviation in India (pp 75-95). New Delhi: Academic Foundation.
- Readings: 11. Franke, R. W. & Chasin, B.H. (2000). Is the Kerala model sustainable? Lessons from the past, prospects for the future (pp 16-39). In G. Parayil (Ed.), Kerala the Development Experience. New York: Zed Press.
- Readings: 12. Tornquist, O. (2000). The New popular politics of development: Kerala’s experience (pp. 116-138). In G. Parayil (Ed.), Kerala the Development Experience. New York: Zed Press.
- Readings: 13. Oomen, M.A. (2010). Freedom, economic reform and the Kerala ‘Model’. In R.K. Raman (Ed.), Development, Democracy and the State (pp 71-86). New York: Routledge.
- Take Home Exam Due
- Reading: 14. Mitra, K. (2009). Gender, Poverty and HIV Transmission in India. In M. Pal, P. Bharati, B Ghosh & T.S. Vasulu’s Gender and discrimination: Health, nutritional status and role of women in India (pp. 163-187). New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
- Readings: 15. Visaria, L. Jejeebhoy, S. & Merrick, T. (1999). From family planning to reproductive health: Challenges facing India. International Family Planning Perspectives, 25, 44-49.
- Readings: 16. Menon-Sen, K. (2010). Women in India’s national population policy. In S. Kumar, P. Panda & R. Ved (Eds.). Handbook of population and development (pp. 160-168). New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
- MDG Paper due
- Readings: 17. Ray, N. (2007). Wither childhood? Child trafficking in India. Social Development Issues 29(3), 72-83.
- Film Human Trafficking
- Journal due
- Readings: Brainstorming on Policy; Revisiting the MDGs
