SAMPLE – 2018 assignments to be provided soon
Assignments to Accompany This DPMI 2017 Course Reader
This course reader is drawn from five sources:
Pages 2-70. The Millennium Development Goals Report, 2015 (final). The purpose of this reading is for you to develop a sound body of knowledge regarding the major accomplishments and shortfalls associated with the MDGs. You do not need to read this material closely, but you should be able to identify which goals are associated with the most and least progress as well as regions and countries where success has been notable (by its absence or abundance). In particular, read with attention material closely related to sectors and regions of interest to you.
Pages 71-105. The General Assembly Resolution. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The MDGs can be understood as the prelude to this new development agenda. What do you see as new ideas? What are the main points of continuity and discontinuity between the MDGs and SDGs? Read with great attention material that is closely related to sectors of interest to you.
Pages 106-176. Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty by Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee and Esther Duflo. You will be reading Part I of the book only. However, the book’s entire table of contents is included in the reader to tempt you into securing a full copy of the book and reading it. It offers a wealth of penetrating insights into how the poor live and why they make the choices they do. The purpose of including this material in the course reader is to help you understand the everyday reality of people who live in poverty and the circumstances under which development projects are likely to succeed or fail. Although the book is written by development economists who are strong believers in the use of randomized controlled trials to demonstrate project impact, you should read the assigned chapters with an eye toward gathering new understandings of the choices and challenges involved in living with an income of under a dollar per day. Throughout DPMI, you will be asked to analyze development scenarios and generate solution strategies. This material is designed to assist you in carrying out these design tasks.
Pages 177-217. Global Synthesis: Consultations with the Poor by Deepa Narayan, Robert Chambers, Meera Shah and Patti Petesch. This is a classic study that, while not very recent, is still widely cited when planning pro-poor initiatives. The purpose of including this material in the course reader is to help you understand the everyday reality of people who live in poverty, particularly how they view their needs and prospects. You should gain a deeper understanding of what types of projects and programs are likely to appeal to the poor, which will be helpful in carrying out DPMI design tasks. Read for main ideas only.
Pages 218-220. Big Ideas in Social Change, 2014 by Tina Rosenberg. This is a brief article from the New York Times that is drawn from Rosenberg’s excellent column and blog Fixes in which she examines breakthrough ideas related to poverty alleviation. The purpose of including this material in the course reader is to help you gain insights into solution strategies that might be incorporated into your design work. This is a quick, enjoyable read.
Written Assignment:
TBA!
