This course is geared towards introducing students to contemporary Latin American Government and Politics. It will also give students an understanding of the main social, political and economic features present in contemporary Latin America. They will explore also the competing theories that have been used to explain development and underdevelopment in the region as well as other salient Latin American issues and identify changing political and economic trends in the region.
This course is designed to deepen students’ understanding of economic theory and methods. It is a major step above what they would have covered in their introductory course even though it builds on many of the same concepts. Topics include: unemployment, money and inflation; economic fluctuations within the context of the ISLM framework; stabilization policy and the problems of government debt and budget deficits. By the end of the course students should have a good understanding of how economies work and how to make them work better, that is, more efficiently.
Professional Development Courses in Political Science are generally geared towards Faculty, established political science practitioners and post-graduate students. This course breaks through those barriers by aligning to the programme’s rationale to give learners a rounded education that will allow them to acquire the skills needed for entry into an exciting career and the certification and skills needed for professional advancement in the context of public, private or not-for-profit organisations. The American Political Science Association, Department of Educational, Professional, and Diversity Programmes have in recent times taken several initiatives to promote undergraduate professional development. In April 2013 for instance, they hosted an Undergraduate Research Week . Within the same context, this course helps to position the Political Science student to take on career building strategies like writing for public audiences or conferencing undergraduate projects and research papers, seeking membership in global political science networks, and seeking mentorship from established scholars and practitioners in the field. Because Political Science is an interdisciplinary area, and undergraduates pursue a diverse set of interests in their post-University life, learners must show that they can adapt when they move forward to graduate school or enter a new profession. This course is therefore included to help prepare the undergraduate for internship, networking and the post-UWI experience.
This course is designed to provide students with a historical understanding of development and its antecedents of the modern world.
In this course students will examine development as a concept and practice in the era beginning around 20th century. This epoch is considered to be the heyday of ‘development thought and practice’. New thinking about social change associated with improvements in the quality of life of the less well off in the global village emerged as major contestants to Development. However, in order to properly understand these and the ways in which post- Colonial societies such as Caribbean are changing in the 21 Century, it is necessary to understand earlier thinking on the subject.
The course addresses the fundamental principles undergirding the theoretical and empirical foundations of macroeconomics at the intermediate level. In this regard, it uses a combination of mathematical and intuitive analysis to provide some understanding of the subject area. The application of analysis that comes mainly from studies of the more developed economies, offers lessons that are valuable for all countries including the Caribbean.
This course is an exploration of political leadership and political outcomes and shows the interconnectedness between the two. It considers classical as well as contemporary theories of leadership. Through this course, the learner will recognise these significantly fundamental questions: Is there a leadership vacuum and how, in the global political community that remains to be created, can we foresee and foster the advent to power of leaders who will dedicate themselves to goals that include the building of a universal community that will safeguard the interests of all mankind? How, if such leaders appear, can they gain the requisite popular support for sustained endeavours directed to these goals?
This course builds on the theoretical understandings of development that students acquired in Modernization and Development. It surveys a number of important issues involved in the process of globalization and the ways in which they impact on the process of development. This course is geared to elucidating the complexities that exist in the systemic nature of capitalism and to underscore the developmental challenges that confront modernity.
This course introduces the student to the unique characteristics of the Caribbean economy. It highlights the challenges and opportunities. The impact of globalisation on small economies of the Caribbean as well as the challenges and possibilities associated with economic integration within the region will be explored.
The inclusion of this course is premised on the recognition that professional management is applicable at all levels of politics. The proper coordination, planning, organisation, direction, control of activities and negotiation of positions, have an immediate effect on the types of outcomes one seeks. It is essential for political science majors to know how people manage political activities, navigate the world of politics and achieve desired outcomes. Knowledge and “know-how” about these key abilities gives the graduate an advantage in a highly competitive field. Cultivating the attributes that are useful for political management makes the graduate equipped to work with political parties, governmental and non-governmental organisations and the media. Additionally, involvement in applied politics offers the political science major an opportunity to help talented individuals become effective public leaders. The curriculum covers the field of applied politics and encompasses consulting, campaigns, electioneering, lobbying, advocacy and negotiation, fundraising, political communication, political leadership and the attendant ethical dimensions. Political management like other types of management activities is goal oriented.
