Reducing Poverty and Inequity: Lessons from International Development

This course introduces students to the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as agents of advocacy and socio-political, economic and cultural change. The emphasis is on a) examining ways in which the NGO sector operates at the local, national and international levels, b) understanding the range of issues NGOs promote and advocate for; c) examining the tools and strategies they use in their advocacy; and, d) assessing the impact NGOs have on the policy making process as well as the targted communities. 

 

The course is designed for students interested in questions of advocay, activism and nongovernmental interventions, all of which are central to the dynamic cultural and political landscapes where NGOs operate. Some of the NGOs we will explore focus their advocacy on promoting political rights, gender equality and minority rights, while others focus on ending poverty, violence, human trafficking, exploitative labor, health problems and environmental degradation.

 

 

About the Instructor: I am a scholar-practitioner with subject area expertise in the politics of development, gender, youth and communication. I taught at numerous universities in Morocco and the United States, including the American University’s School of International Service and the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. I am the author, co-author, and editor of numerous publications in my subject areas. I consulted with numerous intern/national development organizations and agencies including USAID, the World Bank, World Learning, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of State and the Global Fund for Women. I earned my BA from Mohamed V University in Rabat (Morocco), my MA in socio-cultural anthropology from Essex University (England) and my PhD from the Pennsylvania State University, USA.