International Development Initiatives in Eurasia

Master 2021/2022

Type: Elective course (Comparative Politics of Eurasia)

Area of studies: Political Science

Delivered by: Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Where: Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences

When: 1 year, 1, 2 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Ilya Ermolin

Master’s programme: Comparative Politics of Eurasia

Language: English

ECTS credits: 6

Contact hours: 48

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Abstract

This course explores different aspects of international development policies in post-Soviet Eurasia (former USSR). It covers two main areas: 1) key ideas, concepts and themes in international development studies (e.g., aid, development, donors, evaluation, effectiveness, ownership, local, resilience) drawing on examples from various regions of the world and cultural settings; 2) international development actors (governments, international organizations, hybrid institutions, private foundations, NGOs) and initiatives in the specific context of the post-Soviet space. This includes case studies of development approaches, institutions, programs and practitioners. The course also explores various critiques of international development prominent across social sciences, focusing on perceptions, reception, contestation of and resistance to international development policies in post-Soviet Eurasia.

Learning Objectives

To look through the theories of international development and understand how they can be applied to present-day international development practice
To understand the key ideas, concepts and themes in international development studies drawing on examples from various regions of the world and cultural settings.
To explore the various critiques of international development prominent across social sciences to understand the complexity of present-day international development practice.
To provide students with necessary skills which enable them to analyze the different initiatives implemented throughout post-soviet countries since the beginning of the 1990-s.

Expected Learning Outcomes

acquires the necessary methodological skills needed to measure the development that will give them an opportunity to assess socio-economic and political situation in the country under consideration
is able to analyse the wide range of International Development Initiatives based on the theoretical and methodological suitability and their own preferences. They will be able to write the analytical documents of their choice in several areas of study
learns about key ideas, concepts and themes in international development studies, international development actors and initiatives in the specific context of the post-Soviet space and various critiques of international development prominent across social sciences as well

Course Contents

What is International Development?
Theories of International Development.
Key ideas, concepts and themes in international development studies.
International development actors and initiatives.
International Development Initiatives in post-Soviet countries: case studies.

Assessment Elements

Workshop attendance and activities
The students should read articles/books that the lecturer will ask them to read and answer the lecturer’s questions concerning the content of articles/books while attending the workshop. There is also a need to make at least one presentation on the topic under study.
Presentation of policy paper
Presentation of policy paper where the student will analyze specific International Development Initiatives throughout post-soviet countries. The grade of the student will be dependent on how students will deliver their presentations. They should not forget that they are making out an argument to a group of students during the policy paper presentation, so it should be persuasive. The presentation of a policy paper on a specific policy subject will start in week 8 after finishing the topic on the first ID Initiative. Policy paper presenting an analysis of one of the International Development Initiatives implemented in one of the post-soviet countries. The final policy paper (approx. 2000 words) needs to be submitted a week after the final session.
Final oral examination
Final oral examination. There will be a face-to-face conversation with students where the lecturer will ask questions concerning both the course content and his/her policy paper. At least two weeks before the exam starts, the students will receive the general list of exam questions. During the exam, students will be asked to answer from 3 up to 10 questions to assess the general knowledge acquired during the course. If a student can answer all questions, he/she will earn the highest grade. If a student does not answer at least one question, then he will earn no points. The lecturer can stop the exam if it is evident that the student cannot answer any question, or do it with an easy step.

Interim Assessment

2021/2022 2nd module
0.28 * Workshop attendance and activities + 0.44 * Presentation of policy paper + 0.28 * Final oral examination

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Bruce Currie-Alder, Ravi Kanbur, David M. Malone, & Rohinton Medhora. (2014). International Development : Ideas, Experience, and Prospects: Vol. First edition. OUP Oxford.
Introduction to international development approaches, actors, and issues ed. by Paul A. Haslam; Jessica Schafer; Pierre Beaudet. (2012).
Jean Grugel, & Daniel Hammett. (2016). The Palgrave Handbook of International Development. Palgrave Macmillan.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Andy Pike, Andres Rodriguez-Pose, & John Tomaney. (2011). Handbook of Local and Regional Development. Routledge.
Babajanian, B. V. (2005). Bottom Up and Top Down? Community Development in Post-Soviet Armenia: The Social Fund Model. Social Policy & Administration, 39(4), 448–462. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9515.2005.00449.x
Border security fencing and wildlife: The end of the transboundary paradigm in Eurasia? (2016). PLOS Biology, 14(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002483
C.M. Hann. (2002). Postsocialism : Ideals, Ideologies and Practices in Eurasia. Routledge.
Cooley, A. (2012). Great Games, Local Rules : The New Great Power Contest in Central Asia. New York: OUP Premium. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=503685
David Mosse, & David Lewis. (2005). The Aid Effect : Giving and Governing in International Development. Pluto Press.
Haan, A. de. (2009). How the Aid Industry Works : An Introduction to International Development. Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Jenniver Sehring. (2009). Path Dependencies and Institutional Bricolage in Post-Soviet Water Governance. Water Alternatives, 2(1), 61–81.
Jing Gu, Alex Shankland, & Anuradha Chenoy. (2016). The BRICS in International Development. Palgrave Macmillan.
Kvartiuk, V., & Curtiss, J. (2019). Participatory rural development without participation: Insights from Ukraine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.04.002
Lerman, Z. (2008). Agricultural Development in Central Asia: A Survey of Uzbekistan, 2007-2008. https://doi.org/10.2747/1539-7216.49.4.481
Li, T. (2007). The Will to Improve: Governmentality, Development, and the Practice of Politics. Duke University Press.
Mandel, R. (2012). Introduction: Transition to Where? Developing Post-Soviet Space. Slavic Review ; Volume 71, Issue 2, Page 223-233 ; ISSN 0037-6779 2325-7784. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0037677900013590
Routledge handbook of international organization ed. by Bob Reinalda. (2013).
S. Curry, & J. Weiss. (2000). Project Analysis in Developing Countries: Vol. 2nd ed. Palgrave Macmillan.
Saltanat Liebert, Stephen E. Condrey, & Dmitry Goncharov. (2013). Public Administration in Post-Communist Countries : Former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe, and Mongolia. Routledge.
Scott, J. C. (1998). Seeing Like a State : How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed. Yale University Press.
Theocharis N. Grigoriadis. (2015). Aid in Transition : EU Development Cooperation with Russia and Eurasia. Springer.
Ulikpan, A., Mirzoev, T., Jimenez, E., Malik, A., & Hill, P. S. (2014). Central Asian Post-Soviet health systems in transition: has different aid engagement produced different outcomes? https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v7.24978
Weiss, J., & Potts, D. (2012). Current Issues in Project Analysis for Development. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Authors

ERMOLIN ILYA VASILEVICH

Course Syllabus