Political Science is a relatively new subject in the Mauritian academic context. As a small island developing state located in the Indian Ocean, it has many interesting features from which to draw to teach the discipline. These features include the ethnic and cultural diversity of its population; the island's political stability in a geographical…

Despite the relevance of qualitative methods in political science, the process of teaching qualitative research has received relatively little attention in the literature. What is it like to teach qualitative research in political science? This article focuses on the teaching of qualitative research by exploring examples from Brazil. The country…

The 2018 Icelandic film entitled "Woman at War" deals with one of the common tensions explored in feminist literature, that of a woman being forced to choose between a public/political life and private/family life. In this case, the public life is one as an environmental justice vigilante, and the private life is becoming an adoptive…

This essay introduces and analyzes a one-class role-play simulation during which students engage in stakeholder negotiations on how to respond to a large flow of refugees between two fictional African countries. Participants acquire an in-depth knowledge of arguments regarding granting and restricting refugees' freedom of movement and civil and…

This teaching note outlines an innovative simulation game realized in response to post-pandemic experiential learning needs. The game introduces a fictional African country experiencing a series of political and financial shocks. Students are assigned membership in social groups and must implement the national policies that would improve outcomes…

This article illustrates the profound learning that occurs--for students and instructor alike--when a class on third-world development attempts to undertake foreign aid. With undergraduate, graduate, and departmental money, I purchased bulls and carts for farmers, and goats for widows, in two West African villages. Such experiential learning…

Identifies, characterizes, and critically evaluates several of the more influential variants of political development studies. Discusses, among other things, the proto-capitalist approaches and the Islamic model, examines common traits, and attempts to delineate the likely paths that future research will take. (GEA)

Conducting collaborative fieldwork between American researchers and foreign scholars in developing countries is a difficult prospect for political scientists. Yet, we can use our knowledge and position at an American university to contribute to the academic community in our areas of study and establish lasting personal and institutional ties with…

This article argues that by taking into account the environmental perspective in fundamental development issues pertinent to Third World countries, economics may play a more powerful and positive role in shaping the future of these countries. (JDH)

This article describes the policies adopted since the founding of the People's Republic of China concerning living conditions and welfare benefits for staff and workers. It details the principles underlying the provision of welfare services and includes a section on income and welfare benefits for peasants. (JDH)

Explores different ways of perceiving phenomena in micro-spaces that are essential to the understanding of reality. Specifically, analyzes the various manifestations of power within micro and macro spaces. Also discusses micro-macro relationships from a holistic perspective, and looks at problems of grass roots communities in their search for…

This article presents eight letters written by young South Africans which describe what they think United States students should learn about their country. (JDH)

Delineates the patterns of interdependance and linkages of Canadian communities with the Canadian international networks in developing countries. Focuses on the roles of government and nongovernmental organizations and community-citizen participation in development processes. Examines micro-macro influences that limit or enhance possibilities for…

Relates the advance and development of political science in Yugoslavia to the process of democratization and self-management. Maintains that political science in socialist societies should continue to be critical but should also apply principles of Marxist analysis to social phenomena. (DB)

Provides a brief overview of political and economic developments of the past 25 years in Africa. Maintains this was a period of experimentation with vast differences in the ways in which governments dealt with human and natural problems. (JDH)