Group Assignment 1: Regional Dimensions of Development

The overall objective of this assignment is for small groups of students to prepare and give a 15-minute oral presentation of the status of poverty and development in a region of the world. These presentations will be given during class on January 26^th and 28^th.

Guidelines

1. In the course of the presentation, please provide the following:
   
   
• A brief overview of the region, including climate, topography, natural resources, and ethnic groups.
  
  
• A description of the region's recent history and political and economic development. Political development relates to the evolution of political systems (becoming more or less democratic) and political rights (providing more or less individual freedom). Economic development refers to changes in wealth and changes in the way wealth is produced and distributed.
  
  
• A report on key development issues: food and hunger (can the region largely feed itself or a large numbers going hungry?); population (what are population growth rates?); women (what is the status of women vis-a-vis men?); environment (any ecological challenges?).
  
  
2. Throughout, try to present a sense of trends over time as well as the current situation. Also try to give a sense of the range of conditions found within the region.
   
   
3. As a way of getting to a regional perspective, I encourage you to begin by researching selected countries within the region. If each group member collects the needed information on one country, collectively you will be well on your way to a regional understanding. After individual research, the group will need to come together and jointly produce the regional presentation.
   
   
4. Feel free to exercise your creativity in your presentation. Handouts, maps, overhead transparencies, role plays are all appropriate. All group members are expected to participate in the presentation.
   
   
5. Each group will turn in its presentation notes, a bibliography, and summary data tables at the end of the presentation.
   
   
6. Data sources. You are welcome to use any sources you wish. For your information, there are several sites on the Internet that you may find of use. The sites are listed below and links are provided on the course web site.

• For a general overview and information on the political system, check out country pages from the CIA Wold Factbook and the State Department's Background Notes.

 
• The World Bank produces a variety of useful data including pages focusing on regions and countries and statistical data from the annual report on World Development Indicators.

 
• The United Nation's Development Program publishes the Human Development Report every year. It contains data on population, poverty, trends in human development, women's participation, people in work, health, education and military expenditures, and a gender-related index.
  
  
• Freedom House conducts a survey of political rights and civil liberties every year.