Academic Catalog

IR483 POLITICS OF INTERNATIONAL AID:ISSUES, ACTORS AND DIEMMAS

Course Code: 3140483
METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): 3(3-0)
ECTS Credit: 6.0
Department: International Relations
Language of Instruction: English
Level of Study: Undergraduate
Course Coordinator: Assoc.Prof.Dr. ÞERÝF ONUR BAHÇECÝK
Offered Semester: Fall Semesters.

Course Content

The purpose of this course is to introduce and analyze a wide range of issues that are central to the politics of international aid. Drawing on the historical record and more recent case studies, students will develop an in-depth understanding of the main actors, mechanisms, and dilemmas in the contemporary aid system; how foreign aid and development policy theories are constructed and used. We will examine the role of international and local politics on the provision of international aid not only from the perspective of donor countries, but also from the standpoint of recipient countries.
This course is intended to facilitate students to acquire knowledge and think critically about origins, evolution and forms of foreign assistance; the types of donors involved and their various motivations; the determinants, allocation, impact, and effectiveness of aid; aid delivery in humanitarian crises, conflict and post-conflict situations; the debates and criticisms surrounding specific policy initiatives; and the changing role of aid in international relations since 9/11.