Bob Ford
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Earth System Science Core Courses - LLU-SST - EBS
SPOL 665
Info-Tech.
BIOL 549
Biodiv. &
Conser.
SPOL 624
Nature-Soc.
Thought
SPOL 554
Env. Eq. Eco. Dev. Policy
ESSC 401-2
ES-Sci.
ESSC 541-2
Remote Sensing
ESSC 575 
Field
Practicum

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Provides an advanced interdisciplinary analysis of the policy issues associated with applying the concept of "sustainability” within the field of development studies in both urban and rural contexts of the developing and developed world. 

Areas of focus selected from topics such as:

Taught as a seminar, discussions will be enhanced with case studies, simulation games, lab exercises, and student presentations.

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The NGO/GRSO Phenomenon: Non-governmental Organizations and Grassroots Support Organizations, etc.

Key Readings:

Weiss, Thomas G. and Leon Gordenker. 1996. NGOs, the UN and Global Governance. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Fisher, Julie. 1993. The Road from Rio: Sustainable Development and the Nongovernmental Movement in the Third World. Praeger.

Role of Civil Society and the Enabling Environment

-transparency
-good governance
-accountability

Categories of Development Actors:

Types Public Private
     
Donors States (Bilateral) Foundations
  Multilateral Agencies Individuals
Implementors Government Agencies PVOs, NGOs
    Consulting Firms ("Beltway Bandits")
Recipients States PVSs, NGOs, Individuals/Groups

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Types of Organizations in Development

**Other Classifications: Julie Fisher. 1993. The Road from Rio. Praeger.

a) LDAs = Local Development Organizations
b) LG = Local government
c) LINGOS = Little NGOs (Indonesia)
d) INGO = International NGO
e) GONGOs = Government sponsored NGOs
f) GRO = grassroots organizations
g) GRSOs = Grassroots support organizations
h) IAs = Interest Associations
i) BINGOs = Big NGOs

WATCHDOG NGOs

EXAMPLES OF ORGANIZATIONS

TYPE
DEFINITION
EXAMPLES & ACRONYMS
1. Multilateral Official, multi-member-sovereign state-based entity and relationships are treaty-based under international law.

PAHO, UN System, IADB, IBRD (World Bank), UNDP, EU (European Union), WHO, FAO, UNICEF, UNRISD, UNEP, UNFPA

DAC-OECD Glossary - Development Co-operation Directorate of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) - see "About the OECD"

2. Bilateral Official, single-state (inter-state) relationships; agreements between two sovereign states.

SIDA, USAID, DANIDA, DIFID, GTZ, CIDA-ACDI, etc.

See: DAC-OECD Glossary - Development Co-operation Directorate of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) - see "About the OECD"

3. IGOs - Inter-governmental Organizations (UN and EU perspective) and NGOs

See: Strengthening the Partnership between the
United Nations and Non-governmental Organizations

Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations is a standing committee of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

"Semi-official" non-governmental organization (non-state actors) that function in a "multilateral" manner. often with support and legitimacy granted by an international board or charter, often with some official recognition from states (Bilaterals or Multilaterals). The term is also used by many as a generic term for civil society in general, to distinguish non-profit vs. for-profit organizations. CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) - Centers - World Agroforestry Center, IWMI

INCAP (Instituto Nutricional para Centro America y Panama)

InterAction - American Council for Voluntary International Action:

InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. With more than 160 members operating in every developing country, we work to overcome poverty, exclusion and suffering by advancing social justice and basic dignity for all.

Doctors without Borders

ICRC - International Committee of theRed Cross

IDRC - International Development Research Centre (Canada)

Earth Council (Costa Rica)

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)

See: The UN and Civil Society

Partnerships for Sustainable Development (DESA)

CSD - Commission on Sustainable Development

4. PVOs (U.S.A.)

See USAID PVO listings

See: Advisory Committee On Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACVFA)

Private Voluntary Organization (most commonly UN/EU definition), also an NGO but some use this term (U.S.) for:

A) Sectarian (church-based or "faith-based" organizations)

B) Non-sectarian (non-church-based organizations)

Non-sectarian:

InterAction - American Council for Voluntary International Action:

InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. With more than 160 members operating in every developing country, we work to overcome poverty, exclusion and suffering by advancing social justice and basic dignity for all.

PACT (Private Agencies Collaborating Together, Inc. ),
Mercy Corps (MC)
Save the Children Federation, Inc. (SC/US)
Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF)
AmeriCares Foundation, Inc. (AmeriCares)
African Medical & Research Foundation, Inc. (AMREFUSA)
TechnoServe
World Neighbors

Sectarian:

ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency International, Inc.)
American Jewish World Service, Inc. (AJWS)
Church World Service, Inc. (CWS, Inc.)
Lutheran World Relief, Inc. (LWR)
World Vision International
Catholic Relief Services

5. Philanthropic Foundations quite often setup as a "donor" based on endowments or other bequeaths by "philanthropists"

Rodale Institute
Rockefeller Foundation
Ford Foundation
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

6. Professional Associations Professional associations or interest groups (confederations) organized around disciplinary groupings, e.g. geology, health, biology, sociology, etc. - Includes broader groups such as IGU (International Geographical Union), ICSSU (International Confederation of Social Science Unions).

ICSU (International Council for Science)

IGU (International Geographical Union)

World Federation of Scientists

US-IALE (US Association of the International Association for Landscape Ecology

International Association of Wildland Fire

International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG)

7. Universities

See USAID Higher Education Partnerships

Organizations sponsored by individual or consortia of institutions of higher learning.

University of Arizona (Office of Arid Lands Studies )

University of Wisconsin (Land Tenure Center),

Michigan State University (Agricultural Economics),

University of Hawaii (East-West Center),

CRSPs (Collaborative Research Support Programs) - Land-grant Universities, etc.

American Schools and Hospitals Abroad

Cornell University - International Programs
Texas A & M International Agriculture Programs

Earth Institute, Columbia University

8. For-Profit Corporations & Consulting Firms

See: Small Business Resource Database (USAID)

See: CCR (Central Contractor Registration)

See: FedBizOpps.gov Federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000.

For-profit, market-based, incorporations.

See: Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and Minority Resource Center (USAID)


BCon LIFO International, Inc
COUNTERPART International, Inc.
AED (Academy for Educational Development),
Chemonics, Inc.
IRG, LTD.
ARD, Inc
DAI, Inc.


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Some More Examples by Eddie McField

TYPE

DEFINITION

EXAMPLES & ACRONYMS

1. Multilateral

Official, multi-member-sovereign state-based entity and relationships are treaty-based under international law.

Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica

 

2. Bilateral

Official, single-state (inter-state) relationships; agreements between two sovereign states.

Japan International Cooperation Agency-JICA:

 

 

 

3. PVOs (U.S.A.)

Private Voluntary Organization (most commonly UN/EU definition), also an NGO but some use this term (U.S.) for:

A) Sectarian (church-based or "faith-based" organizations)

B) Non-sectarian (non-church-based organizations)

GIVE.ORG - BBB Wise Giving Alliance

Non-sectarian:

ACDI/VOCA - ACDI/VOCA is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes broad-based economic growth and the development of civil society in emerging democracies and developing countries. Offering a comprehensive range of technical assistance services, ACDI/VOCA addresses the most pressing and intractable development problems.

FINCA International - Villagebanking.org

HEIFER International

Opportunity International

Sectarian:

Ministry-Watch - Wall Watchers

4. Philanthropic

Foundations quite often setup as a "donor" based on endowments or other bequeaths by "philanthropists"

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

William T. Grant Foundation

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation

Aldo Leopold Foundation

5. Universities / Academic

 

Organizations sponsored by individual or consortia of institutions of higher learning.

World Learning - Former

School for International Training-SIT -

Experiment in International Living

World Learning for Business

Monterey Institute of International Studies

6. For-Profit Corporations & Consulting Firms

 

For-profit, market-based, incorporations.

RTI International

Landell Mills - Development Consultants

Futures Group

DPK Consulting
 
 

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Measures of Sustainability and Development:

Key Readings (see also Statistics/Data):

Measures of Quality of Life and Development - Traditional Socio-Economic Measures of Development (see Statistics/Data):

NEWER Measures of Development and Sustainability

Other EXAMPLES:

Other Measures/Indicators:

MORE TO BE ADDED

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        1. (10% of grade) take-home and lab work using measures, indicators and other statistics in sustainable development--see MEASURING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.  

        2. (30% of grade) ONE written policy analysis (POLICY BRIEF) OR THREE BOOK REPORTS (see KEY TEXTBOOKS and KEY Web-Documents) on select theorists, writers, and schools of thought within the sub-discipline. SeeWritten Criteria For Policy-Briefs and consult the instructor.
Each report will be between 6-8 pages MAXIMUM in length (be concise and synthetic in writing).  The paper is to be submitted in electronic format on  BLACKBOARD the Discussion Forum.  It will be deposited online where both your classmates and the instructor can read and asses them. Each written report will synthesize and summarize an assigned "theory, ideas and their proponents (school of thought), writers, and key attributes".  It will explain how this school of thought and its principal proponents have contributed to the field of social, cultural and political ecology.

In addition, you are to briefly give YOUR evaluation of the writer's ethics, value to those doing policy analysis--particularly to those who assume a Christian perspective.  In other words, what can we learn (both positive and negative) from the writer, school, idea(s) in question. Each student will be ready to present oral summaries of these reports (time permitting).  Everyone will post the written reports on the BLACKBOARD site.  These reports will then become the object of "discussion" and evaluation by your fellow students and the instructor--to improve them in quality of writing, thought and intellectual rigor.  See CALENDAR in  BLACKBOARD for when the PAPERS ARE DUE initial.

3.  (10%) Active participation online in the discussion forum.

          4. (50%) Research PAPER and PRESENTATION on a Social Policy Problem  with a Sustainability Focus

          Each student will select a specific problem or issue within the arena of sustainable development and social policy to explore in depth.   The topics could be many such as listed below (this is only illustrative).  Your instructors will help you choose, and you must get persmission before finally choosing a topic.  Changes may me made in choice of final project, but no later than half way through the course.

        Select your topic from the following list:

      -geo-information science, regional science and development
-land and property rights, entitlement issues
-knowledge management and information technology
-development: indicators
-perceptions and attitudes
-political economy, macro-economic policy and development
-communications, social marketing, extension and development
-rural development theory and history (social thought)
-population-land-environment interaction
-sustainable agricultural production and agro-ecosystems
-agricultural intensification and population issues
-disaster mitigation, refugees
-poverty reduction and trade competitiveness
-gender and development
-risk assessment, industrial ecology and pollution
-Carrying  capacity, land degradation and population pressure
-political (cultural) ecology theory and history
-global health and disease
-sustainability science: theory and practice
-biotechnology and genetic resources
-global environmental governance and security
-Industrial ecology and energy
-ethno-ecology and ITK (indigenous knowledge systems)
-natural resource management issues such as:

        Grading Rubric:

          For an A grade:

          Above 94% on all reports and take-home exercises as well as exceptional work on the research project (see above). To get an A you must demostrate high creativity, initiative, resourcefulness in all areas of the course and have an excellent participation and attendance record as well.

          For a B grade:

          For a B+ you must get above 87% in all reports and good work on take-home exercises/ projects. For a B you must achieve between 84 - 86% and a B- will be given to those scoring between 80 - 83%.

          For a C grade:

          Below 80% on reports and below average writing on take-home exercises/ projects and below average participation and attendance: C+ = 75 -79%, C = 70 -74%, C- = 65 - 69%.

          For a D or F grade:

          To get a D+ = 60 - 64% and D = 55 - 59%; D- = 50 - 54%. Below 50% is a failing grade = F

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        Procedures and Regulations:

          No make-up will be allowed except by prior arrangement for good cause (official University business and death in the immediate family). In all cases you must notify the instructor before you make-it-up. Make-up work must be normally taken within one week of the missed project is due.

          Doing your best consists in:

          • regular attendance and participation in all class discussions and activities,
          • reading required assignments before you come to class,
          • handing-in or doing assignments on time--this also applies to class presentations where the
          • quality of your presentation in terms of visual/graphical appeal are evaluated AND
          • clarity, organization and quality of material given in the oral presentation.

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        Notes on Communications:

        1. Throughout the entire course a strong emphasis will be put on encouraging students to practice and perfect various forms of written, oral and graphic communication--emphasis on use of HTML Web-based material as well as use of maps and charts. See the following list of Web Publishing Resources for more information how to publish on the web.  
        2. See also the various WWW Resources relating to cartography, map and aerial photo interpretation, GIS/RS (remote sensing), and so on included in the ESSC course (ESSC 401-402) WWW resources list entitled -- Resources for Earth System Science.  
        3. Students will also be expected to learn to use basic electronic communications effectively such as email. Much of the course will be carried out online via the BLACKBOARD site.  
        4. Monitoring of participation to asses evidence of interaction with people and resources beyond the course--in THE REAL WORLD--is encouraged and demanded! Students will also be shown HOW TO ACCESS ONLINE (INTERNET) DATA in the course. One of the goals is to not only teach good email writing skills and netiquette,  but more important HOW TO USE THE INTERNET to do research and communicate across the globe with other students as well as experts in their areas of interest.
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      Time and Location - Activity Due Dates

        FACE-TO-FACE LECTURES (Griggs Hall Room 117)

        First time - Monday September 25, 2006 - office Griggs Hall Room 121

        ONLINE DISCUSSIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS   via BLACKBOARD

        Submission of Final Written Paper - Due December 15, 2006

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Bob Ford
Home
Earth System Science Core Courses - LLU-SST - EBS
SPOL 665
Info-Tech.
BIOL 549
Biodiv. &
Conser.
SPOL 624
Nature-Soc.
Thought
SPOL 554
Env. Eq. Eco. Dev. Policy
ESSC 401-2
ES-Sci.
ESSC 541-2
Remote Sensing
ESSC 575 
Field
Practicum


Last Revised: August 25, 2006