GISDepartment of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies

Why do we need to extend aid to developing countries? If needed, how can we support growth and development of recipient countries? Do we really know what prevents growth and development (poverty reduction) in developing countries? If not, how can we know them, and then how to develop aid strategy based on the identified constraints? If development aid contains lending, how can we assess debt repayment capacity of a recipient country? Can projects financed by our aid attain expected goals? How can we measure the impact of an aid-funded project that can be attributed to the project? The course aims to answer these critical questions in development aid policy. After reviewing the traditional development paradigms—Structural adjustments and Washington consensus (confusion), the course focuses on the emerging 3rd generation of development paradigm, which emphasizes “diagnostics” and “evaluation” in formulating an effective development aid policy. A unique feature of the course is its intensive uses of case studies to deepen students' understanding.

Students who have taken this course should be able to:
(1)understand how development aid is designed to resolve challenges in developing countries;
(2)understand how development paradigms have been evolving and how the changes in development paradigms have affected development organizations’ operational strategies;
(2)develop analytical skills to analyze development challenges and formulate an effective aid (and development) strategy.

Will be able to gain “DP 1”, “DP 2”, “DP 3”, and “DP 4”.

英語 / English

The intent of this course is to expose the student to a range of ideas and issues in aid and development policy through an interactive learning process. Students will be provided an opportunity to learn, think and discuss broadly and deeply about aid and development issues through lectures, discussions, group work, presentations and homework.

Comments will be provided to assignments. Good works will be presented in class.

あり / Yes

なし / No

授業形態/methods of teaching：対面/face to face

※各回の授業形態は予定です。教員の指示に従ってください。

1[オンライン/online]：Guidance

Course guidance and introduction to development studies

2[対面/face to face]：Why are we so rich but they so poor? Why is development aid needed?

Poverty reduction requires growth, which can be constrained by lack of financial resources, recipient's capacity, and poor governance

3[対面/face to face]：Two gap theory (1st generation paradigm)

'Ghost' of the financing gap

4[対面/face to face]：Original and augmented Washington consensus (2nd generation paradigm)

Is everything important to grow and develop?

5[オンライン/online]：Growth diagnostics (3rd generation paradigm)

A new approach focusing on only binding constraints

6[オンライン/online]：How the growth diagnostics work?

Case study 1: Pakistan

7[対面/face to face]：How the growth diagnostics work?

Case study 2: Philippines

8[対面/face to face]：Aid inflows induce the Dutch disease?

A dilemma of aid

9[対面/face to face]：How to measure project impact?

A dilemma of 'before and after comparison

10[オンライン/online]：Randomized control trials (RCTs)

How to create treatment and control groups?

11[オンライン/online]：How the impact evaluation work?

Case study 1: Philippines’ conditional cash transfer

12[オンライン/online]：How the impact evaluation work?

Case study 2: Mosquito nets for Malaria prevention

13[オンライン/online]：Recap: Core features of the new development (aid policy) paradigm

Diagnostics and Evaluation

14[対面/face to face]：Final exam & wrap up

Final exam & wrap up

Preparatory study and review time for this class are 2 hours each.

No textbook will be required, but students are highly recommended to review readings from the reference listed below. Necessary reading material will be provided during the class.

Banerjee, A., and E. Duflo (2012), Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty, PublicAffairs. (for Classes 9-12)

Rodrik, D. (2006), “Goodbye Washington Consensus, Hello Washington Confusion? A Review of the World Bank’s Economic Growth in the 1990s: Learning from a Decade of Reform. (for Class 4)

Hausmann, R., D. Rodrik, and A. Velasco. (2005), “Growth Diagnostics”, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (for Classes 5).

Felipe, J., N. Usui, and A. Abdon (2011), “Rethinking the Growth Diagnostics Approach: Questions from the Practitioners”, Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy, 2 (2): 251-276. (for Classes 5-7)

N. Usui, “Aid Induced Structural Change in Developing Countries: An Extension of the Two-Gap Model”, Singapore Economic Review, 41 (2): 53-66, 1998. (For Class 8).

N. Usui, “Searching for Effective Poverty Interventions: Conditional Cash Transfer in the Philippines”. 2011, Asian Development Bank. (for Class 11).

The following criteria will be used to evaluate students:
・Class contribution (ex. Questions, Presentations, Discussions) 30%
・Reaction papers and homework 30%
・Final Exam 40%

Student requests and comments will be taken into consideration.

Week 1 attendance is mandatory to register for this class.
Including attendance in week 1, more than 2 unexcused absences will result in failure of this course. An overall score of 60% or more is needed to pass this course.

Non-GIS students wishing to take part in this course should have adequate English skills to complete the course work and assignments.