Thursdays 9:30 – 11:30 AM
January 13 through March 3, 2005
D.O.C. House
This course will examine what has been continuing component of United States foreign policy – economic assistance or "foreign aid" to developing countries. The program began in the immediate aftermath of World War II when the U.S. launched the Marshall Plan (of economic assistance and recovery) targeting those countries most impacted by military operations during WWII. The Soviet Union declined to participate and instead launched its own program of influence and support. This was the initiation of the Cold War. Later, both sought to influence the "non-aligned" countries. In addition to bi-lateral (country-to-country) assistance, the U.S. was a leading influence at the post-war Bretton Woods conference, which established the multi-lateral World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The U.S. bi-lateral program was confirmed as an on-going element of U.S. foreign policy with enactment during the Kennedy Administration of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. However, in the percentage of GNP, U.S. is low on the list of donor countries that it commits.
The first two sessions will review these programs and will be illustrated with case studies largely from Asia, Africa and Middle East recipient countries, describing approaches used and resultant outcomes, highlighting the cultural, political, and economic conditions which were encountered. Quality of life indicators, governance, human rights, and levels of accountability of the political leaders of these countries will be compared.
The remaining four sessions will examine current policies and programs in several countries where the U.S. is presently engaged, including our counter-terrorism endeavors, to enable course participants to consider whether any "lessons learned" from earlier development assistance programs have been applied to current U.S. assistance strategy, and to help evaluate the worth and wisdom of programs being implemented. Four countries have been selected for concentrated study: Afghanistan, Iran, Philippines, and South Africa.
Readings will include maps and background information, and critical articles from magazines and journals. There will be lectures and "power point" case studies. Guest lecturers on Islam and the Iraq situation have been invited. Participants will be expected to choose and read at least one of the selected books put on "reserve" at the ILEAD office, the articles which will be distributed, and then to present reviews and critiques and provide commentary.
Class is limited to 20 members.
DAVID LEVINTOW, a retired Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State's Agency for International Development, served twenty-five years overseas in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Washington, DC. Following his government service he became a consultant working with private firms, the World Bank, GTZ (German Aid Agency), UN specialized agencies and the Asian Development Bank. His major emphasis was advising governments and training local officials to facilitate concession agreements for private sector investment in or operation of infrastructure service delivery. Sectors covered were water/waste water, solid waste management, and transport (rail, marine ports, and airports). Levintow has a BA (major in Government) from Antioch College and an MA (major in Development Economics) from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
