Development Studies Program - Watson Institute for International Studies

Development Studies at Brown

Room 130 Watson Institute

401.863.3318

INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT STUDIES PROGRAM

Brown University's Development Studies (DS) Program consists of the undergraduate concentration and the M.A. program. These programs are designed to provide a comparative perspective on the long-term social, political, and economic changes that have accompanied industrialization and the growth of the modern state in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and in the historical experience of European countries. Among other topics, The DS concentration includes a concern with understanding how processes of change impact the distribution of wealth and opportunity both within and between nations.

Gianpaolo Baiocchi is the Director and Principal Advisor of the Development Studies Program. During Spring Semester '09, Prof. Baiocchi will hold office hours on Thursdays, 1-3 pm at the Watson Institute, Room 313.

At the start of the 2008-2009 academic year, there were 77 declared concentrators. In May 2008, 29 concentrators graduated and 3 Masters candidates received their degrees. An additional 6-8 are expected to complete their DS BA requirements in Dec. '08. In May 2007, 19 senior concentrators graduated. In May 2006, 29 seniors graduated. In May 2005, 26 seniors graduated and 9 Masters candidates received their degrees.

DEVELOPMENT STUDIES PROGRAM NEWS

March 19, 2009: Solar Cycle

"Hi Professor Baiocchi,

I graduated from Brown last May and now work for SolarCycle, a start-
up company making solar ovens and solar thermal water pasteurizers
from recycled plastic bags and metalized film (like the inside of a
Sun Chips bag). We're a three-man team (the other two guys are also
Brown '08ers), and we're in the very beginning stages of engineering
our new company. In order to test out the products and the market
readiness, we are planning a pilot project for this summer at a TBD
site in Central America. We're working with other solar cooking
groups to select the site and build local relationships, and we're now
also looking to recruit a few student volunteers to work with us for
the summer. Because we are so small, our volunteer needs (and time to
manage their work) may be fairly limited. At this point, we're hoping
to take on an engineering student, someone interested in helping with
our microfinance and microentrepreneur business models, and someone
interested in community development, who would ideal study community
willingness to pay, acceptance of the products and alternative cooking
technology, as well as community experiences with diarrheal and
respiratory disease. It will be essential that these students have
strong Spanish speaking skills."

FOR MORE INFORMATION send an email to DSProgram@brown.edu

January 28, 2009: DEVELOPMENT STUDIES 1000 and Declaring the Concentration

It is the wish of the Development Studies faculty that students stick as closely as possible to the courses listed in our requirements page - DEVL 1000, ECONS 510, methods (DEVL 1500), and the disciplinary core courses. We also prefer that students take DEVL 1000 before declaring the concentration. This Spring, however, we have had an unexpected amount of demand for DEVL 1000 and we have no means to extend the course enrollment this time around.

If you are intent on declaring DS this Spring and have not been able to get into DEVL 1000, we recommend that you enroll in some of the other core and disciplinary core courses available this Spring, such as the economics course and Political Science 1450. Also if this is you: do write to ds_advising@brown.edu at your earliest to let us know your situation.

gianpaolo

January 28, 2009: POLS 1450- The Political Economy of Development

The very interesting and very relevant course, Political Science 1450 taught by Prof. Cammet this semester is one of our disciplinary core courses. It is worth shopping for DS concentrators and prospective students.

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