91188 - Laboratories (Lab13)

Learning outcomes

Through the participation to the Laboratory, students develop the transversal skills necessary to practically process the knowledge acquired in the course of study. By the end of the course, they are expected to be able to collect, organise, and analyse complex information and to present the outcomes of his/her analysis in written and oral form.

Course contents

The aim of the workshop is to analyse the concept of development in its theoretical and political density.

The workshop will introduce the student to the historical-political perspective, the latter understood as a methodological tool for inquiring into the relationship between theories of development, processes of globalization and reconfiguration of the state-form.

The workshop will privilege the critical discussion of classical texts with the aim of relating the debate on development with its broader and often left implicit theoretical premises.

Particular attention will be paid to the contributions of Latin American political sociology (second half of the twentieth century).

Readings/Bibliography

The thematic grouping of the bibliographic resources listed below will be made available online (at "virtuale"). The bibliography could slightly change at the beginning of the workshop.

G. Arrighi, Il lungo XX secolo, Il Saggiatore, Milano, 2014, pp. 7-97.

M. Bloch, Apologia della storia, Einaudi, Torino, 2009 [1950], pp.7-39; 104-130.

F. Braudel, Civiltà materiale, economia e capitalismo. I tempi del mondo [Vol. III], Einaudi, Torino, 1982 (introduzione, cap. 1 e conclusioni)

F. H. Cardoso, E. Faletto, Dipendenza e sviluppo in America latina : saggio di interpretazione sociologica, Feltrinelli, Milano, 1971

Harriss, J. "Globalization and Globalism in Latin America: Contending Perspectives", Latin American Perspectives, Resistance and Alternatives to Globalization in Latin America, Vol. 29, No. 6, Nov. 2002, Sage Periodicals Press.

________, "Great promises, hubris and recovery: a participant's history of development studies", in Kothari, Uma (ed.) A radical history of development studies: individuals, institutions and ideologies. Zed Books, London, 2005, pp. 17-47.

R. M. Marini, The Dialectics of Dependency, Monthly Review Press, New York, 2022.

K. Marx, “Introduzione a per la critica dell’Economia politica [1857]” , in Id. Lineamenti fondamentali dell’economia politica [Grundrisse], vol. 1. Einaudi, Torino, 1976

A. Gramsci, selezioni da Quaderni del carcere. Edizione critica dell'Istituto Gramsci a cura di Valentino Gerratana, vol. 1-3, Einaudi, Torino, 2007.

Peet, R. and Hartwick, E. Theories of development, The Guilford, New York-London, 1999 (chapters 4 and 5).

K. Polanyi, La grande trasformazione, Einaudi, Torino, 1974, pp.167-225; 281-323.

________, From the Great Transformation to the Great Financialization, Zed Books, London 2013 [e-book disponibile in AlmaRE]

A. Sen, Development as Freedom, Knops, New York, 2000, pp. 54-87

_____, Lo sviluppo è libertà : perché non c'è crescita senza democrazia, Mondadori, Milano, 2000.

I. Wallerstein, Comprendere il mondo. Introduzione all’analisi dei sistemi mondo, Asterios, Trieste, 2013, pp. 13-73.

Teaching methods

 

Frontal lesson and critical discussion of the texts in class. Working groups will be specially organized according to the number of enrolled students.

The objective of the teaching methodology is to activate the informed discussion of theoretical, historical and political problems, the understanding and critical analysis of the texts and students' ability to engage in bibliographic research.

Assessment methods

Attending students

Elaboration of a final essay on one of the topics discussed during the workshop and previously agreed with the teacher. If a student expresses an interest for a specific topic -related to "development theory" but not specifically treated during the workshop- he or she may subject to the teacher's approval an additional bibliography.

Essay's structure: title, abstract and keywords, introduction, content, conclusions, bibliography. Extension: 3,000 min. - 5,000 max. (excluded bibliography ), 1.5 line spacing, body text 12.

The essay has to be sent to the teacher's e-mail at least five days before the date of the chosen exam session.

Learning assessment: 50% quality of the final essay (understanding and critical analysis of texts) and 50% informed participation in class discussion. Students are explicitly required to read the weekly assigned material before each session.

Teaching tools

The majority of the texts will be made available by the teacher (on “virtuale”), however, and in order to encourage an autonomous capacity of research, students are strongly recommended to take advantage of university libraries and (in addition, but not exclusively) of platforms dedicated to academic and/or specialized publications.

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Savoia