DEVELOPMENT QUESTIONS



COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION IN DEVELOPMENT

April 2006.

Four Hours

PAPER I (GENERAL: DEVELOPMENT, POVERTY AND URBANIZATION)

ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS ONLY

1a) EITHER: Marxist approaches to the study of development seem less popular today than they were in the past. Yet there are significant debates for which Marxist theories are still vital. Describe the most important contributions that Marxism has made to our knowledge of development in the past, and identify the most important areas in which Marxist theories are alive today.

1b) OR: “With the significant exception of the idea of space-time “compression” (a la David Harvey), there is little that is substantively different in terms of process or impact between contemporary globalization theory and erstwhile dependency theory.” With reference to the relations between developed and less developed countries during the last forty years of the 20th century, evaluate the veracity of this remark.

2a) EITHER: How far does the emerging urban ecology of large cities in the less developed world resemble that of the developed world, and what factors help to explain the similarities and differences that you observe?

2b) OR: Geography has made important contributions to sociological debates regarding development and globalization. Describe the most important ways that theories of geography and geographical methods have informed sociological debates, and, with reference to specific examples, identify the questions where a geographical perspective holds the most promise in the coming years.

3) “Informality and poverty are inextricably linked: getting rid of the former is a prerequisite for overcoming both poverty and inequality.” With reference to either labor markets or housing, discuss the veracity and applicability of this assertion to contemporary cities in the developed and less developed world.

4) “Over the past twenty years policy makers have moved from being Gender ‘Blind’ to Gender Aware.” With reference to ONE sectoral area of development theory and policy making, (e.g. health, education, etc.), explore how far the shift from WID (Women in Development) to GAD (Gender and Development) to GAG (Gender and Globalization) confirms or denies the accuracy of this assertion.

5) What does “good governance in the tropics” entail at the state and local levels; and how far and in what ways is governance likely to be helped or hindered by decentralization?

6) What are the main differences between the migration processes that shape urbanization today and those of thirty years ago. Illustrate your answer using examples from countries in Latin America compared to those of Africa or Asia, and account for some of the principal differences that you observe.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION IN DEVELOPMENT April 2006.

PAPER II. (SPECIALIZED COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION: NGOS, URBANIZATION)

Four Hours

ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS ONLY (AT LEAST ONE FROM GROUP 1 AND ONE FROM GROUP 2).

IDENTIFY THE NUMBER OF THE QUESTION IN THE FIRST LINE OF YOUR ANSWER.

Group One

1. What is an NGO? Linking with the literature, access the key features of the “ideal type” NGO. Using empirical examples compare and contrast how well NGOs in developed countries and NGOs in developing countries, compare to this “ideal type”.

2. Briefly describe and discuss the main issues in the literature referring to the relationship between NGOs and States in terms of independence, accountability, and the development of “rights”. When possible please incorporate specific examples.

3. Many scholars cite the grassroots nature of NGOs as a substantial organizational strength, while more recent work highlights the role of internationalization within the NGO sector and the increasing use of NGOs are conduits for foreign aid in the developing world. Discuss the main issues you find important.

Group Two

4. Increases in international migration and the rise of transnationalism challenges perceptions of local, national and international. How are the major approaches to conceptualizing citizenship challenged or reaffirmed by international labor mobility? Briefly, summarize the approaches to citizenship you feel are most central, and critically assess their applicability and limitation in light of international labor migration.

5. There is considerable confusion and conflicting evidence about trends in urban spatial segregation in Latin America and other developing regions. Outline what you see as the major trends of the last twenty years in the large cities of a developing region, paying attention to the scale of segregation and the degree of isolation of low-income groups. Discuss the extent to which these trends can be explained by economic globalization or factors specific to the ecology and institutions of particular cities and countries. Base your argument on a comparison of two or more major cities in Latin America or elsewhere.

6. “Modern Urbanization begins with the Industrial Revolution.” Explain this statement and analyze the relationship between Industrialization and Urbanization. Contrast the resulting patterns of Urbanization in the developed world and in Developing Countries, paying attention to migration patterns and the nature of urban infrastructure, including housing and housing tenure.

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