Module Information

More than 75% of the world's population live in the Third World, yet these areas of the globe have traditionally been marginalized in the study of politics and international relations. This module introduces students to some of the key issues of Third World politics and understands the third world as an integral element in the global political environment.

The module is divided into five main sections, each section emphasizing the connectedness of the so-called First and Third World. The module begins with a discussion of the legacies of colonialism, one of the shared experiences of otherwise very diverse societies. The second section focuses on political challenges, like state building, military coups and democracy. The third section examines various development issues, like famine, gender and the environment, while the fourth section focuses on a series of economic challenges, including the debt crisis. The final section is devoted to security issues, and includes lectures on the specificity of third world security, arms proliferation and HIV/AIDS.

Lectures:
A. Introduction
1. What is the Third World?

B. Colonisation and its Legacies
2. Latin America
3. Africa
4. The Jewel in the Crown/The Beginning of the End


C. Issues in Third World Politics
5. The Third World State
6. The Soldier turned Politician
7. The Call for Democracy


D. Development Issues in the Third World
8. What is Development?
9. Hunger & Famine
10. Gender and Development
11. Development and the Environment


E. Economic Issues in the Third World
12. The Debt Crisis
13. Structural Adjustment
14. The East Asian Miracle: The NICs


F. Security issues in the Third World
15. What is Security and Who Is It For?
16. Small Arms Proliferation
17. AIDS/HIV as a security threat (?)


G. Conclusion
18. Where is the Third World Now?

Study skills will be taught to students by active participation in seminars, backed by a web-based curriculum on the Departmental intranet (Intranet Skills Resource). Four main topics will be covered: sources (printed and web-based); seminars and small group work; essays; examinations. The skills teaching will be practical and geared to the tasks which students encounter during their studies, and as such they will be linked into the module'r academic content and to student assessment. As such, seminar tutors will engage in skills teaching as and when appropriate to that particular group, rather than employing a rigid regime. Thus discussions about group work might take place early-on, discussion of sources might occur throughout the module while the topic of essay writing would take place closer to the deadline. The less structured approach to skills teaching will be backed up by the Intranet Skills Resource which will feature notes on various skills topics, a reading list plus links to other College resources (such as Information Services) and to pre-existing skills sites available on the web. It should be noted that the Department has tried many strategies to teach skills, but the results have been disappointing, and it is hoped that incorporating these into the student'r daily academic routine will prove effective.

Students will have the opportunity to develop, practice and test a wide range of transferable skills which will help them to understand, conceptualise and evaluate examples and ideas. Throughout the course, students should practice and enhance their reading, comprehension and thinking skills, as well as basic numeracy skills and self management skills. In lectures students will develop listening and note taking skills, as well as analytical skills. In seminars students will enhance their analytical skills and will practice listening, explaining and debating skills, as well as team work and problem solving. Essay writing will encourage students to practice their independent research, writing and IT skills, and the examination will test these skills under time constraint conditions.