Due Monday by 11:59pm Points 25 Submitting a file upload (Turnitin enabled) Available after Mar 18 at 12am

4/20/2021 Country Project: Contemporary Development Project

https://bcourses.berkeley.edu/courses/1502344/assignments/8215825 1/5

Country Project: Contemporary Development Project

Due Monday by 11:59pm Points 25 Submitting a file upload (Turnitin enabled) Available after Mar 18 at 12am

Start Assignment

Objective: Write a 6-8-page double-spaced paper that uses one or more key concepts/theories from the class as a framework for
understanding a specific development project currently taking place in your country.

Format: 6-8-page paper, 1-inch margins on all sides, double-spaced. If any graphics, charts, or images are used, they must be labeled
in a clear and understandable way–you can either place them in the text of your paper or at the end in an appendix and refer to them in
the text of your paper. These will not count toward your page totals. 

A bibliography is required and is not part of the page count. The bibliography should be included at the end with full citations of where
you got all the information. See ASA citation guide for more details on the bibliography (in the Files section of our bCourses site). You
may also consult the Purdue OWL website
(https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/using_research/formatting_in_sociology_asa_style/references_page_formatting.html) .

You may cite lectures parenthetically as well. For example: (Lin, Title of Lecture, Date of lecture). In the works cited page, you may cite
this as the following: Lin, Edwin. “Title or subject of lecture” (Course Name, College Name, Location, Date).

Detailed Explanation of Assignment:

Step 1: Do some research about recent/current development projects going on in your country and choose one issue that
interests you. The project you are looking to write about for this assignment should be specific, empirical, and tangible. In other words,
you are not just looking for a general idea, like the environment, but rather a specific event, policy (or set of policies), dispute, or project
that is of ongoing debate, discussion, controversy, or implementation in your country. Examples of a concrete, specific development
project include a dam construction project, new policies/laws about a free trade zone, a new education policy or reform, new labor laws,
a new political party allowing deforestation, an ongoing protest movement, etc.

The development project/issue you choose should be either ongoing (current) or very recent (within the last 5 years). It can be
something that began several years ago, but continues to have ongoing and recent updates. You can also choose a social development
issue (e.g. education, democracy, free speech, etc.), but be sure to incorporate the correct readings to connect the issue to
development–in other words, some readings will likely be necessary to help situate and explain how the issue you’ve chosen is relevant
in contemporary development discussions.

Step 2: Once you have chosen a contemporary development project in your country, review the syllabus and consider what are
some appropriate development concepts, theories, and readings that apply to the case you’ve chosen. In other words, treat the
development project you’ve chosen as a case study that can be interpreted and understood through the framework of some of the
readings and ideas of the course. Perhaps, for example, you could use multiple competing concepts to understand the development
project you have chosen (e.g. Smith vs. Marx or modernization theory vs. dependency theory or sustainable development vs. post-
development).

Step 3: Do more research! Look for reliable sources such as reports (from NGOs, international institutions, and government
agencies), government websites, and mass (published) media. You might also look at some academic journal articles or law
reviews–but there may be a lower emphasis on these sources because of the current/contemporary nature of your topic. This will
heavily depend on what you’ve chosen to write about.

Look for how these sources analyze and understand the development project you have chosen. What are the key issues of debate?
What are the goals of the project? What are the different sides or groups that are for and against the project?

Step 4: Write an argumentative paper. Your thesis/argument will be centered around the application of the one or more
theories and concepts you’ve chosen to integrate as a framework for understanding your case study/development project. You
have some freedom and flexibility in what you argue, but this argument should reflect 1) some analysis or articulation of the
development project and 2) application of course ideas, concepts, and theories to help understand, articulate, and convincingly make
your argument.

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/using_research/formatting_in_sociology_asa_style/references_page_formatting.html

4/20/2021 Country Project: Contemporary Development Project

https://bcourses.berkeley.edu/courses/1502344/assignments/8215825 2/5

Like the previous paper, make sure that you provide in-text citations to any sentence that is based on an idea that you are taking from
one of your sources. Please OVER CITE (cite too much) rather than under cite (cite too little) (i.e. when in doubt, please cite). Again,
refer to ASA citation guides (under Files in bCourses) or Purdue OWL linked above.

Your paper should consist of an interworking of the sources you found about your specific development project and course ideas (most
likely including citations from course readings and lecture).

Finish off the assignment with your bibliography in ASA format.

FAQs:

1. How do we integrate course ideas and theories into the contemporary development project that we’ve chosen?

One way to think of this is that the ideas and theories act as a framework from which to understand your development project
through. For example, to take neoliberalism and use that as a frame of reference to explain what is going on in your project. You can
also use course ideas to help you analyze your country’s development project. For example, you can apply Marx ideas or
dependency theory or post-development or Stiglitz’s critiques or Friedman’s flat world idea and argue how these perspectives would
analyze and understand the development project you’ve chosen. You may also use multiple course theories and compare and
contrast them and the different ways they would see the development project. You can even use examples from lectures and
readings and compare the development project happening in your country to those examples. Overall, you get to determine what
you think is an interesting and engaging argument using course content and what you learn about your development project.

I expect that you will be utilizing resources you found on the specific development project you chose and connect those sources to
course content. In other words, you might use media sources that explain what is going on and connect those events to course
content. Or you might use how a report by the UN or Human Rights Watch and show how it reflects certain values discussed in the
class regarding development and how that may affect the development project. Again, you have flexibility on how you connect your
sources with each other–just be sure that you are staying focused on your thesis and proving your argument. In other words, no
random connections that aren’t really trying to substantiate your main argument.

2. I’ve chosen a development project that is not traditionally economic development. It’s more cultural or social. Is that okay? How
should I approach this?

Yes, this is absolutely fine–in fact, you should choose something that personally interests you. It does mean that you will need to
apply different course content to situate this more cultural or social developmental issue in light of development and the
development narrative/discourse (i.e. consider sustainable development, basic needs, and/or post-development). As long as the
framework helps us see the connection between your development project and course themes and concepts, it should be no
problem and you can make whatever argument you think is meaningful and interesting to make.

3. How recent is recent? Or how contemporary are we talking here? Is something that started X years ago still contemporary?

Refer to the above instructions for some feedback on this. Essentially, as long as it is still an ongoing issue with updates in the past
two years or so, this shouldn’t be a problem.

4. I don’t really know how to use the library (or I haven’t really had a chance to use the library before). I am also having trouble finding
information. What should I do?

If you start your research early, then this really will not be a problem (see our bCourses page on research tips). The easiest
answer to this is for you to reach out to a research librarian. You can do that on our library website:
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/help/research-help (http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/help/research-help) . You can also look up a subject
librarian and reach out to them: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/help/subject-specialists (http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/help/subject-
specialists) . These librarians are absolutely incredible–they know where everything is and if they do not know, they know how to find
out where things are! You can also go in-person to the reference center, where there are reference staff and librarians who can help
you without any appointment. You can find information about them here: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/libraries/doe-
library/reference-center (http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/libraries/doe-library/reference-center) .

https://bcourses.berkeley.edu/courses/1502344/pages/library-research-tips

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/help/research-help

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/help/subject-specialists

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/libraries/doe-library/reference-center

4/20/2021 Country Project: Contemporary Development Project

https://bcourses.berkeley.edu/courses/1502344/assignments/8215825 3/5

Contemporary Development Project

Also, librarians are also aware of the online resources that are available and can provide advice for contemporary development
projects too! They are not limited to just “old” information, so please seek them out if you are having trouble.

Between all these resources, I am absolutely confident you will have no trouble completing this assignment!

5. Can I use X resource in my paper? Is it a good source?

Do NOT cite random websites, blogs, or encyclopedic type sources. Instead, any information needs to be resourced from a
reputable, published source. If a blog or website has some information that you used, find out where they got it and cite that source.

4/20/2021 Country Project: Contemporary Development Project

https://bcourses.berkeley.edu/courses/1502344/assignments/8215825 4/5

Criteria Ratings Pts

12.5 pts

Thesis/Argument

How clear is the
argument (in the
beginning of the
paper as well as
throughout the
paper)? Does
the argument
show a strong
understanding of
both course
material and the
development
project they’ve
chosen? How
convincing has
the student
proven the
thesis of the
paper?

12.5 pts
Perfection

Can’t find
anything
wrong and
it is
absolutely
outstanding
work. Goes
above and
beyond as
the
argument
is deep,
interesting,
and
effective–
you
learned
something
new and it
is very
convincing.

11.88 pts
Excellent

Overall, the
argument is
clear and well
argued. You
are convinced,
but perhaps
there are
times where
things aren’t
perfectly clear
or persuasive.
Yet overall,
everything is
great, you can
track the
argument
throughout the
paper, and it
shows a very
strong
understanding
of course
concepts and
their case of
development.

11.25 pts
Solid but
room for
improvement

Solid argument
and most of the
time, you know
how the paper
is contributing
to the
argument.
Sometimes,
however, it
feels a little
unclear and
you may get a
bit lost, but still
overall the
argument was
argued well,
adequately,
and convincing
enough,
showing a
good sense of
the course
material and
the
development
project they
have chosen.

10.63 pts
Average with
potential

At times, the
argument is
obscured or
unclear, but
most of the
paper is
related to the
argument. You
feel less sure
that the
argument
shows a
meaningful
understanding
of course
content and its
application to
the
development
project they
chose–this
makes you
feel a bit
uneasy of the
students’
course
understanding.

10 pts
Average at best

There’s a feeling
that a lot of the
paper is just
retelling
information, rather
than arguing to
prove their thesis.
In this way, the
thesis and
argument of the
paper is often
obscured and lost
and you have to
spend extra time
trying to figure out
what and why the
author is spending
time talking about
certain parts of
the paper. This
does not give you
confidence in a
deep
understanding of
course material
and its
application.

8.75 pts
Passing

Effort was
made to try
and have an
argument
and thesis,
but beyond
just a couple
paragraphs,
much was
missing and
the
argument
was mostly
unclear.
Almost all of
the paper
read like
pure
information
or
summarizing
readings,
rather than
proving any
points.

6.25 pts
Failed

Thesis is
completely
unclear from
the
beginning.
You are
concerned
that any real
effort was
put into
making an
argument.
Instead, the
entire paper
read more
like retelling
random
information
and
summarizing
readings
and course
content.

4/20/2021 Country Project: Contemporary Development Project

https://bcourses.berkeley.edu/courses/1502344/assignments/8215825 5/5

Total Points: 25

Criteria Ratings Pts

12.5 pts

Use/Analysis of
Course Content
and Outside
Sources

Did the student
utilize course
content to its full
effect in
understanding,
framing, and/or
analyzing the
development
project in their
country? Were
outside sources
appropriate,
cited well, and
adequately
used?

12.5 pts
Perfection

Course
content used
brilliantly and
exceptionally.
You are hard
pressed to
find anything
wrong with
how course
ideas,
theories, and
readings
were applied
to the case
discussed in
the paper.
The
application
was of real
interest and
truly brought
out deep
insight from
the chosen
development
project.
Citations and
sources were
all
appropriate
and had no
problems.

11.88 pts
Excellent

Excellent
use of
course
content to
bring out
interesting
insights of
the
development
project.
Depth of
analysis was
strong and
compelling.
Perhaps
some areas
felt like there
was a
deeper step
they could
have taken,
but overall
everything
was strong.
No major
problems
with sources
or use of
course
material.

11.25 pts
Solid but
room for
improvement

Use of course
content and
analysis of
the
development
project is all
generally
good, but you
can identify
some clear
areas of
improvement-
-this might be
in how
something is
discussed
consistently
throughout
the paper or
the
application of
course
material feels
shallow at
times or
requiring
better
interaction
and
engagement
with the
development
project. Still
overall a good
paper, just
with clear
areas of
improvement.
No huge
problems with
sources–
maybe
missing some
citations at
times when
they should
have probably
cited but
nothing major.

10.63 pts
Average with
potential

Basic elements
are there
regarding use of
course content,
analysis, and
citations/sourcing.
Some areas,
however, showed
a rather
consistent lack,
for example a
lack of using
course content to
its full potential, a
lack of analysis
where
discussions
needed to get
deeper to be
more meaningful,
or a lack of
details in
describing the
case study and
using outside
sources to do so.
Could also have
some problems of
using citations or
of having
appropriate
sources.

10 pts
Average at
best

Feels like the
level of
research,
application of
course
content, and
analytical
depth is
lacking. Some
of the course
ideas are
simply
incorrect or
applied wrong.
You can very
easily think of
better
approaches to
analysis and
discussion.
The paper felt
like it needed
more outside
sources to
discuss the
development
project they
chose in more
detail and with
more critical
understanding.
It feels as
though the
student
needed more
time to
research and
put in more
diligent work.

8.75 pts
Passing

Minimal
requirements
are met, but
not much
else is going
on. Course
ideas were
referred to
and some
information
about a
contemporary
development
project were
used, but the
interactions
are weak or
almost non-
existent and
the paper
feels like it
desperately
needs more
attention to
detail and
deeper
analysis.

6.25 pts
Failed

Missing
certain
components
of either use
of course
content,
analysis, or
sources.
More than
just a couple
sources were
inappropriate,
revealing a
lack of effort
and
attentiveness
to detail as
well as a lack
of reliable
sources of
information.
Course
content
application
was done in a
fleeting
manner.