SOC 430 - Societies and Cultures of the Third World

This course begins with outlining the historical context within which the term “Third World” emerged. It then discusses the political economy of Third World countries taking the case of specific countries or communities. The theoretical debates on “Development” (which is at the forefront of defining nations and cultures as “Third World” societies) will also be discussed. In so doing, we will pay attention to the major global institutions, and agencies that devise, expound and implement the development discourse throughout Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The course then delves into discussing how the process of globalization and its various facets (economic, political and cultural) affect the socio-cultural makeup of Third World countries. Finally, the course will discuss outstanding ethical (moral) and methodological issues (dilemmas) that social scientists (sociologists and anthropologists in particular) face when it comes to studying non-western cultures and societies, in general. It ends by discussing how these issues inform the ‘hierarchy of knowledge’ in the social sciences.
Lecture
3 Credits
Offered in Alternate Years