taught by Gordon L. Bowen, Ph.D.
Spring 2012, Mary Baldwin College
last updated on April 9, 2012
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| Jan. 25 | Jan. 30 | Feb. 1 | Feb. 6 | Feb.8 |
| Feb. 15 | Feb. 20 | Feb. 22 | Feb. 27: Midterm Exam | |
| Feb. 29 | Spring Break March 5 and 7 |
Mar. 12 | Mar. 14 | Mar. 19 |
| Mar. 21 | Mar. 26 | Mar. 28 | April 2 | Apr. 4 |
Apr. 9 |
Apr. 11 |
Prof. Bowen's inclement weather policy: If the College is open, class will occur; if the College is closed, class is cancelled. To learn if the College is closed on any snowy/icy day, call 540-887-7000. Any exception to the statement above will be posted here.
Monday January 9: Class Introductions.
Members of the class will introduce themselves, learn about each others' travel experiences in the Third World, learn about the course requirements and guidelines from the course syllabus, and have photos taken for the instructor's seating chart.
Wednesday January11: Third World or Developing World?
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus.
Announcements:
- Materials supporting the talk given today about the political experience of the Guatemalan people can be accessed by following this link.
Study/Discussion Questions Re: Joseph et. al.
Globalization
What does this term mean?
What does it mean for Third World laborers?
What does it mean for government planners?
Has its meaning for the Third World changed somewhat since 9.11.01? Why?
Has its situation changed since the global economic crisis began in 2008?
Comparative Politics
Joseph states "even in such [highly repressive] states, long term stability requires that the ruling regime have some measure of political legitimacy."
What is political legitimacy?
Can non-democratic states be legitimate? Why or why not?
Monday January 16: Case studies in National Development: China.
Announcements:
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus.
Materials providing background on these topics at Prof. Bowen's website are to be found here:
- Maps of China: provinces of contemporary China, map of China and Taiwan, map of 1934-35 "Long March"
- Main Figures in the Chinese Revolution
- Background to the communist revolution of 1949
- policies of the Chinese Government since 1949
Wednesday January 18: China, day two.
Announcements:
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus. I.e., read about Nien Cheng (plus a second article).
Monday January 23: China, day three.
Announcements:
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus.
Announcements regarding first papers, which will be turned in at the start of class on Jan. 27:
1. Lateness: Consistent with the course syllabus, papers that are not turned in on time will ultimately be eligible only to receive a grade of B at the highest on this assignment, and this will be awarded only if the ultimate paper is of A quality. And so forth: e.g., a B paper on its merits, will be recorded as a C, etc.
2. Documentation: Papers require appropriate documentation for highest evaluation. If you are unsure of how to do this, follow this link. In every instance of making a citation, even when using online resources as in this assignment, cite the specific page from which each fact is extracted.
3. Sources and content: The syllabus clearly states that it is mandatory that the student engage the facts on basic human needs found in 2010 edition of the World Bank Development Report's Statistical Annex. That document is linked here. Should for any reason that link go dead, an alternate copy permanently is accessible here. Should you wish to read the entire World Bank Development Report for 2010, it is accessible here.
For highly motivated students interested in comparing sources, the 2009 edition of the Human Development Report by the United Nations Development Programme also may be used to supplement (i.e., not to replace) the portrait of your country you are developing on the extent to which basic human needs are being met in that state. When using both, you do NOT need to read the entire report: what I want you to do is assemble facts about your country from the tables and charts in the book. In using the tables throughout the factual sections of the World Bank Development Report or the Human Development Report, you will need to use your judgment about which facts most pertain, i.e.: which tables tell us most about the extent to which basic human needs are, or are not, being met in your country? Similarly, in summing up in an oral report, focus on the most revealing indicators and comment about those. There is no need to burden yourself, or other students, with an unfocused rehashing of all that is in the Human Development Report about your country. Brief inclusion of some introductory facts (e.g., total population, population growth rate, etc.) may also help all to learn about your country, as might a brief description of where the country is.
Despite this clear guidance, in previous years numerous papers were submitted that referred to other publications from that U.N. office, or did not use any publications at all from that office. Let's get it right this time: to facilitate your research, use the links in this announcement (above).
4. Second Paper: It is not too early to get started on the second paper, too. Please pay particular attention to the directions in the course syllabus regarding the mandatory source for use in the paper on human rights conditions that is due on Feb. 4: the most recent U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (issued in February 2011). Get your paper in on that date to avoid the lateness penalty and to avoid having to do new work on it: Later in February, the 2012 report will be released, so papers submitted after its release should use it as well.
Day's topic: China since Deng Xiaopeng.
Questions to think about in preparing for class:
- Who have been the "winners" and who have been the "losers" created by the reform policies since 1978?
- Does this situation pose political problems for China's rulers? Why or why not?
Wednesday January 25: Day One: First Oral Reports on countries: to what extent are basic human needs being met? Written "Country Report No. 1: To what extent are basic human needs being met in Your State" is due at the start of class . One grade penalty for lateness / late papers may not be re-written for re-grading.
Announcements:
- If after preparing your report you have extra time, use the time to read Nafisi.
All class members should come prepared to deliver their own well organized, brief report. It may not be the case that you are called upon to deliver your report today. Nonetheless, each student should come to class prepared to deliver her report. Any student not attending will have a grade of zero recorded on this oral assignment.
- Be well organized and prepared prior to class.
- A brief oral report should be understood to mean no less than five and no more than ten minutes.
- A brief report should begin by presenting the overall thesis of your paper, but time may not permit you to convey all of the points made in your paper to prove your thesis.
- Accordingly, select factual examples to present orally that illustrate your thesis well.
Monday Jan. 30: Day Two: First Oral Reports on countries: to what extent are basic human needs being met? Country Report No. 1: To what extent are basic human needs being met in Your State is due at the start of class.
Announcements:
- If you reported in last class, you still are required to attend; in lieu of prep for class, use the time to read Nafisi.
- Class time was devoted to issues related to improving country study papers, both the first one (due last week) and future ones. Notes projected on the screen today can be accessed by following this link.
All class members should come prepared to deliver their own well organized, brief report. Since we are a relatively large group, it may not be the case that you are called upon to deliver your report today. Nonetheless, each student who did not report earlier on this topic should come to class prepared to deliver her report. Non attendance will have impact on your grade, and absence (other than due to illness) by a student who did not report earlier will earn a zero on this oral report.
- Be well organized and prepared prior to class.
- A brief oral report should be understood to mean no less than five and no more than ten minutes.
- A brief report should begin by presenting the overall thesis of your paper, but time may not permit you to convey all of the points made in your paper to prove your thesis.
- Accordingly, select factual examples to present orally that illustrate your thesis well.
Wednesday February 1: Case studies in national development: India, day one.
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus. I.e., readings assigned in Joseph, plus the brief excerpts from Gandhi.
To access today's class notes, follow this link.
A film about Mohandas K. Gandhi and his role in India's political independence, and the style of politics he advocated, will be shown.
Monday February 6: Case studies in national development: India, day two.
To access today's class notes, please follow this link.
- Another good article on recent Indian politics is: Somini Sengupta, "In Villages Across India, Maoist Guerrillas widen 'peoples' war'," New York Times, April 13, 2006.
- In May 2004 and again in May 2009, general elections were held in India, and the Congress Party (and its allies) defeated the B.J.P. (and its allies) each time. Congress (and its allies) won 212 seats in the Parliament in 2004, and increased this to 262 in the 2009 election. Since 272 seats are needed to form a majority government in India, Congress rules in coalition with several smaller parties and is supported by 322 members of the parliament (which is officially named the Lok Sabha). The nationalist B.J.P heads up the opposition; B.J.P. won 180 seats in 2004 and slipped to 159 in 2009. (2004 source: Current History, Sept. 2004, p. 299; 2009 source: Wikipedia "Indian General Election of 2009": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2009 ). The current Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh of the Congress Party, came to power in 2004 and has remained in the office to this day. He is the first Sikh to lead India.
For details on the 2004 election, including analysis of why Sonia Gandhi did not accept the position of Prime Minister, follow this link.
Today's lesson will be a discussion. Questions to consider on India in order to prepare:
Re: Independence to c.1980:
- What was the basic model followed for India's national development, from 1947-the 1980s? Why was this approach abandoned?
- Compare Indian political processes and political institutions to those of China
Re: the reform programs undertaken since 1980:
- Describe the origins of, and the substance of, the changes in India?s economic approach in this era.
- Describe the political impact of changes during this era.
- Compare the political and economic features of reform in India in this era to reform in China since 1977
Re: contemporary India:
- Explain the causes of the rise of Hindu nationalism and the BJP
- Assess the significance of armed insurgencies in India
- Discuss the consequences of Congress returning to power since 2004
- Evaluate: Given the huge economic problems India faces, do governments have much range for choice in their policies regarding national development? I.e., does it really make much difference if Congress or B.J.P. win any election?
Wednesday February 8: Oral Reports on human rights in countries under individual study
Second Oral Reports on countries, day one: What role does government play in the principal human rights problems in your country? Country Report No. 2: "Human Rights in Your State" is due at start of class. One grade penalty for lateness / late papers may not be re-written. Sources to be used are described in the course syllabus.
Form your oral and written reports around a concise, analytic thesis that addresses the most serious human rights problems in the state you are studying. (I.e.: don't get lost on trivial tangents). Substantiate your overall interpretation with well documented facts in the written version of the report; be prepared to summarize the broad trend shown in these facts in the oral report.
Written reports that demonstrate trends over time, or that use multiple sources (see syllabus) are more likely to be evaluated as excellent reports.
It is permissible to elect to focus on one or two areas of human rights problems in your oral and/or written report. For example: religious freedom, rights of women, integrity of the person (e.g., torture, arbitrary arrest, etc.), freedom of the press, etc. may be the most pertinent thing to address in your state. Such focusing is an option, not a requirement. Surveying several issues is also permissible. Whichever approach you use, construct your thesis in a manner that attempts to present a reason(s) why the problems exist. For example, if electing to narrow your focus rather than surveying a range of human rights concerns, be sure to provide a reason(s) why the focus you choose brings attention to the most serious human rights problems in the state you are studying.
Monday February 13: Oral Reports on human rights in countries under individual study, day two
Announcement Re: Third Papers: In consultation with all students attending, it was agreed that paper #3 will first be due on March 12, at the start of class. Readings for that day as assigned continue to be required for that date.
Announcement Re: Date of Midterm Exam: In consultation with all students attending, the midterm exam for the course was re-scheduled. It now will be held on Monday Feb. 27, not Wed. Feb. 22 as the syllabus distributed in January originally had indicated. (The corrected syllabus now is available online). Please attend class on Feb. 22 for a review session to better prepare for the midterm. Also, class will be held on Wed. Feb. 29, at which time graded midterms may be returned, and at which a film about contemporary Iran, "Iranium" (2011), will be shown.
Announcements about today's class:
All class members should come prepared to deliver their own well organized, brief report. It may not be the case that you are called upon to deliver your report today. Nonetheless, each student should come to class prepared to deliver her report. Non attendance will have impact on your grade, unless it is an excused absence.
- Be well organized and prepared prior to class.
- A brief oral report should be understood to mean no less than five and no more than ten minutes.
- A brief report should begin by presenting the overall thesis of your paper, but time may not permit you to convey all of the points made in your paper to prove your thesis.
- Accordingly, select factual examples to present orally that illustrate your thesis well.
Wednesday February 15: Case studies in national development: Brazil, day one.
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus.
In several ways, Brazil has a higher level of development than does China or India. Do the social problems of the poor also greatly differ from those other cases?
How does Brazil's society resemble, and how does it differ from, India's and China's?
How do the democratic elements in the Brazilian political tradition compare with the democratic elements in India's?
Consider the era in Brazil's national experience since about 1930. Do the great political changes between authoritarian, democratic, military and democratic governance have much of an impact on national development? Explain.
Internet resources supporting the Brazil unit:
- BBC timeline of Brazilian history
- Georgetown University list of facts about Brazilian Political Parties
- Maps of Brazil (University of Texas' Perry-Castenada collection):
Monday February 20: Case studies in national development: Brazil, day two.
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus:
Required: Juan Forero, Booming economy, government programs help Brazil expand its middle class, Washington Post (Jan. 3, 2010): A6.
Recommended: Jorge Castenada, "Latin America's Left Turn," Foreign Affairs May/June 2006.
Questions on assigned readings on the whole Brazil unit will shape discussion today:
- What aspects of Brazil's political system weaken the ability of public authorities to solve social problems?
- Why was an export oriented model of growth more successful in Brazil than in other 3rd World nations?
- What was Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI)? To what extent was it successful?
- How have Brazil's leaders tried to fix the problems of Brazil's development?
- Did the approach used by Pres. Lula continued, or reversed, the course set by Pres. Cardoso?
Internet resources supporting this part of the Brazil unit:
- BBC timeline of Brazilian history
- Georgetown University list of facts about Brazilian Political Parties
- BBC profile of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
- Maps of Brazil (University of Texas' Perry-Castenada collection):
- information about the use of alternative fuels to power automobiles in Brazil
Wednesday Feb. 22: Review session to prepare for MIDTERM EXAM
Students thinking comparatively about our three major case studies in the course so far (i.e., China, India and Brazil) might enjoy this week's comparative column from the Atlantic online, Derek Thompson and Max Fisher, "Five Lessons from the Rise of the BRICs."
Monday Feb. 27: Midterm Exam
Announcement: Earlier in the semester, Prof. Bowen mentioned to the class that he was being interviewed about the problems in the Middle East by Gulan, a newsmagazine in Kurdistan, a particularly pro-U.S. region of Iraq. The interview came out today. He is proud to be included in a series of "exclusive interviews" that includes other interviews with noted experts in political science (Robert Dahl, Feb. 8, 2012; Philippe Schmitter, Nov. 29, 2011), Middle Eastern studies (Joshua Landis, Feb. 27, 2012), military affairs (Anthony Cordesman, Feb. 14, 2012) and foreign policy (Les Gelb, Nov. 29, 2011; Eliot Abrams, Feb. 23, 2012). However, the command of the English language of the interviewer, and of the people preparing the written version of the interview, seems to have been somewhat less than the best, and some of my ideas may have been a bit garbled in the way they were rendered. Read the interview with your professor for yourself here.
Wed Feb. 29: Film: "Iranium" (2011)
Today's film will introduce students to the issues surrounding Iran's revolutionary government, its long sponsorship of international terrorism, its particular animus toward the U.S., the role played by its nuclear program, and the dangers many experts (including the film's makers) see in it.
It is strongly suggested that you include reading Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran among the activities of your Spring Break.
Monday March 12: Women in Third World Development.
Class notes presented on the screen today can be accessed after class has met by following this link.
Third Written Reports on Countries are due today. Topic: Have recent decades been a time of meaningful change in your country's relations with the developed world?
Country Report No. 3: "The Status of Your State in the World?" is due at start of class Monday March 12. One Grade Penalty for lateness / late papers may not be re-written.
Note on the resource needed for this project: The I.M.F., Direction of Trade Statistics is to be found in the REFERENCE section of the Grafton Library, which is located on the main floor. Its call letter is Ref. HF 91, D52 . It is a big red book. Reference books do not check out from the Library, so after you use it, place it back where you found it so that others may also use it. Other sources (such as CIA Factbook) also discuss trade patterns, but the IMF Direction of Trade Statistics is the most authoritative source.
Before class read Haleh Esfandiari, "The Woman Question," The Wilson Quarterly, Spring 2004. Also prior to class continue reading Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran.
Class today will be a discussion meeting. Bring any questions you have about this reading.
Extra credit: Research who the author is and why she is of even more significance than when she wrote this, email to Prof. Bowen your list of sources (email a list only of sources with links to them, no paper), and contribute to our discussion with the insights you gained from reading your sources about Esfandiari, and receive 5 percent additional GPA points added to your course GPA. You will benefit from reading: Haleh Esfandiari, My Prison, My Home: One Woman's Story of Captivity in Iran (New York: Ecco, 2009).
Wednesday March 14: Case studies in national development: Iran, day one.
Course outline projected onto the screen during class may be accessed after class has met: follow this link.
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus. Also, prior to class, continue reading Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran.
A chart about systems of government, democratic and non-democratic, that will help in placing the Iranian regime in comparative perspective is to be found by following this link.
Internet resources supporting the Iran unit:
- Professor Bowen's timeline on U.S. - Iran relations
- Timeline of Iranian history, 1906-2002 (PBS)
- Timeline of Iranian history, 1907-2004 (BBC)
- Timeline of Iran-U.S. relations, 1979-1997 (Time Magazine)
- Maps of Iran (University of Texas' Perry-Castenada collection):
- Professor Bowen's list of resources about contemporary Iran in the War on Terrorism
Monday March 19: Case studies in national development: Iran, day two.
Introductory functions / Follow up to our class on Monday March 12 and its focus on the status of women in Afghanistan, which is a continuing problem that did not end with the 2001 removal of the Taliban Government: Interested students should please read more about the current situation, and about the position of the U.S.-backed Karzai Government, by following this link, see:
- Rachel Reid, "President Karzai and the 'secondary' sex," AFPAK Channel (March 9, 2012): http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/03/09/president_karzai_and_the_secondary_sex
- And a very disturbing statement issued by Afghanistan's Ulema Council, March 4, 2012, on the status of women: https://afghanistananalysis.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/english-translation-of-ulema-councils-declaration-about-women/
Today's notes and announcements have been linked here . They include a revised due date for the Nafisi review (now due Wednesday March 28) and rewrites of country study papers (now due Monday March 26). This revised schedule also anticipates that the final installment of country study papers (i.e., re: the country's economy and trade patterns since 1990) will occur on April 4.
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus. Also, prior to class, continue reading Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran.
Today we will begin viewing the film "Not Without My Daughter."
- For an interesting contemporary analogy to the themes in the film, look into the story of a woman named Oshrit Ochana, and set in Gaza and Israel in January 2010. The story first was reported at Jerusalem Post on January 10, 2010, but the link subsequently went dead. However, various Israeli websites reproduced the story, and to read a copy of the original story, go here.
Web resources supporting the Iran unit:
- Professor Bowen's timeline on U.S. - Iran relations
- Timeline of Iranian history, 1906-2002 (PBS)
- Timeline of Iranian history, 1907-2004 (BBC)
- Timeline of Iran-U.S. relations, 1979-1997 (Time Magazine)
- Maps of Iran (University of Texas' Perry-Castenada collection):
- Professor Bowen's list of resources about contemporary Iran in the War on Terrorism
Wednesday March 21: Case studies in national development: Iran, day three.
Announcement: Any revised Country Reports papers 1, 2, and 3 are due no later than at the start of class Monday March 26.
Prior to class, continue reading Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran.
In class we will continue viewing the film "Not Without my Daughter."
Web resources supporting the Iran unit:
- Professor Bowen's timeline on U.S. - Iran relations
- Timeline of Iranian history, 1906-2002 (PBS)
- Timeline of Iranian history, 1907-2004 (BBC)
- Timeline of Iran-U.S. relations, 1979-1997 (Time Magazine)
- Maps of Iran (University of Texas' Perry-Castenada collection):
- Professor Bowen's list of resources about contemporary Iran in the War on Terrorism
Monday March 26: Case studies in national development: Iran, day four.
Last Thursday, Prof. Bowen published an editorial. It concerns the slide toward an extremist anti-American government in Egypt, and its implications for our understanding of the sources of peace in that troubled region. It is online both at its original source and permanently here on his website.
Today we will discuss the recently completed film, "Not Without My Daughter," and then will view and discuss a 2005 film "Jews of Iran."
After viewing the film, consider what you have seen. Does it appear that official discrimination, or socially created exclusion, is the principal problem for Iranian Jews? What solutions are there for their collective problems?
Web resources supporting the Iran unit:
- Professor Bowen's timeline on U.S. - Iran relations
- Timeline of Iranian history, 1906-2002 (PBS)
- Timeline of Iranian history, 1907-2004 (BBC)
- Timeline of Iran-U.S. relations, 1979-1997 (Time Magazine)
- Maps of Iran (University of Texas' Perry-Castenada collection):
- Professor Bowen's list of resources about contemporary Iran in the War on Terrorism
Wednesday March 28: Iran, Day 5 "Reading Lolita in Tehran"
Discussion questions and class agenda for today are linked here.
Before class, complete reading of Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran. Class today will be a discussion of the book.
- Book review essays on Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran are due at the start of class today. One grade penalty for lateness / late essays may not be re-written.
- There are reasons beyond the danger posed by Iran's nuclear program for Americans to urge Pres. Obama to continue a policy of firm opposition to the current Iranian regime. Prof. Bowen maintains that Iran, despite its pseudo-democratic facade, remains both a theocratic despotism and a fully totalitarian state. It also is a clear sponsor of terrorism. The most famous and openly official act of international terrorism by Iran was the fatwa calling for the killing of British author Salman Rushdie. Apologists for Iran sometimes allude to a reversal on this question. They are wrong. Here is a link to a 2005 statement by Supreme Leader Khamenei reaffirming the fatwa against Salman Rushdie: use the key word "Rushdie" to find it within his speech that is online at the MEMRI Institute. Further evidence of Iran's ties to international terrorism were revealed in 2003 by a defector from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards; it also is online at MEMRI.
Questions on the book:
- Is this book fiction? Is fiction necessarily untrue?
- Are the essential existential problems of Nafisi's main character different from those of the American woman in "Not w/o my daughter"?
- List some of the "crimes" for which characters are punished in the course of this novel. Would these be crimes in other societies? Why were they in Iran?
- Analyze this statement: "It seemed I constantly had to remind people that the university was not a grocery store?" (179)
- Why do many of Nafisi's students see themselves as "lucky"? (219)
- If, as Nafisi suggests, Lolita's situation in Nabakov's novel is a metaphor for life under totalitarianism, what is the ultimate lesson Nafisi imparts through the whole of her analysis?
Questions for discussion:
- What role did hopes for democracy play in the original anti-Shah revolution of 1978-79? To what extent were these hopes realized?
- Nafisi described Pres. Rafsanjani's ascent as one characterized by "reform" aspirations: was he a real reformer?
- Many have characterized Pres. Khatami as a "reformer". To what extent was this true of his election? To what extent does it fairly characterize policies during the era of his presidency?
- Why is it that civilian institutions (Majles, Presidency) have failed in their attempts to democratize the Islamic Republic?
- Given the events surrounding the 2009 re-election of Pres. Ahmadinejad, does "the opposition" have recognized, legitimate rights in the Islamic Republic? Why or why not?
Monday April 2: Issues in Contemporary Third World Politics: Human Rights in Iran.
Before class review your notes on Iran and all learning you have done thus far about the protection of, and threats to, human rights in Iran. Consult the Iran timeline for information about the case of Zahra Kazemi. Today in class we will view a film on her experiences, and will discuss what it means about the state of human rights and the rule of law in Iran in light of subsequent events related to the case. For a news update on this case, follow this link.
Questions for discussion:
- Why was Ms. Kazemi detained in the first place? Had she committed a legitimate crime, or was she arbitrarily detained? Why?
- The Kazemi incident occurred during the presidency of Mr. Khatami, whom many have characterized as a "reformer". To what extent were rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of the press respected by legal authorities as is illustrated in the Kazemi case? Do penal institutions seem to have been "reformed"?
- Competition between security bureaucracies is typical in totalitarian states. To what extent did competitive legal/police/judicial authorities play a role in determining who was responsible in the Kazemi case?
- Why, in your overall opinion, is it that civilian institutions (Majles, Presidency) have been unable to fully democratize the Islamic Republic?
- Given the events surrounding the 2009 re-election of Pres. Ahmadinejad, does "the opposition" have recognized, legitimate rights in the Islamic Republic? Why or why not?
Wednesday April 4: Discussion of each student's Country Study overall.
Notes projected onto the screen today are available: follow this link.
Come prepared to present a summary of your country in response to the question "have the years since 1990 represented a fundamental change for your country?"
Monday April 9: Discussion lesson on human rights issues in Third World Politics: who is responsible for the 1994 catastrophe in Rwanda?
Announcement: Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil, is in Washington, D.C. today for talks with President Obama and other administration officials. Learn more by following this link.
Class notes projected onto the screen during class today now are available: follow this link.
Before class do all readings for this date as described in the course syllabus. These include Samantha Power on Rwanda.
If you feel unfamiliar with the events it describes, here's a link to a timeline on the case to assist you.
Today's class will be a discussion of the question "who is responsible for the 1994 catastrophe in Rwanda?"
Wednesday April 11: Conclusions and review for final exam. As was stipulated in the course syllabus, please plan to take the exam on any day during Monday April 16 to Friday April 20, only. Do not take the exam on Monday April 23.
