Course Details
 Justice & the Developing World (LAC 300) is a hands-on, reading-intensive course that welcomes a variety of disciplinary perspectives and methods. Because it is a capstone course where students will conduct an original research project, it is worth 4 credits.
Typically, the course meets once a week for a two hours and a half session (a "turbo" class). Almost each session will involve presentations by guest lecturers from different disciplines, who will address a wide range of topics such as poverty, immigration, environment, international trade, popular culture, public health, human rights, women's condition, and international developmental programs, among others.
Whether traveling to Nicaragua or not, students will produce a final research paper that counts for between 30 and 50 percent of their final grade. This paper is developed in stages throughout the semester, under the supervision of a designated faculty advisor from a discipline relevant to the student's research subject and/or her/her field of study.
Students who travel to Nicaragua will do most of their data collection during their field trip, whereas students who don't take this trip will rely on local primary and secondary sources. Given the amount of work involved in the project, good planning and time management are crucial for its successful completion. Therefore, students who register for this course are encouraged to informally consult with the course's instructors before the semester begins about possible topics for their research projects.
Suggested subjects and topics for LAC 300 research project
The following eight major subjects provide ample possibilities to identify appropriate topics for research projects:
(1) Politics and corruption
(2) Women-related issues
(3) Education and literacy
(4) Economy and cheap labor, in connection with globalization trends
(5) Mass media industries and influence
(6) Literature, art, music, popular culture
(7) Religion and human rights
(8) Poverty and immigration
(9) Environmental problems and sustainable development
(10) Health care, social security, and welfare
(11) Telecommunications and information networks
Here are more specific suggestions (students can choose one from the list or propose a relevant topic on their own), derived from the general subjects presented above.
- Elections and civic participation in Nicaragua, from Somoza to Arnoldo Alemán.
- Situation of women in Nicaragua v. women in the rest of Latin America.
- Public and private education institutions in Nicaragua or Latin America.
- Economic impact of World Bank/IMF on Nicaragua's management of external debt.
- Organized and "informal" labor (e.g., street vendors) in developing countries, emphasis on Nicaragua.
- U.S. and domestic content in Nicaraguan mass media.
- Freedom of expression, press-related legislation, and/or professional training of journalists in Latin America.
- The advertising industry in Nicaragua: markets, strategies, and/or ethical issues.
- Literature, art (for example tapestries from Solentiname with Ernesto Cardenal since 1960s), or murals during the Sandinistas (streets, churches, etc.), or music during the Sandinistas. Also to study the Caribbean literature written in English in Nicaragua.
- Liberation theology and social movements in Nicaragua.
- The world of "maquiladoras" in Nicaragua and the rest of Central America.
- Nicaraguan children, poverty, and human services (e.g., adoption, protection against exploitation).
- A comparison of poverty in Nicaragua and poverty in Connecticut (Bridgeport for example).
- Immigration from Nicaragua to other countries (there are 500,000 or more Nicaraguans working illegally in Costa Rica).
- Environmental policies in Nicaragua and international agreements.
- Land ownership regimes in Nicaragua.
- Mainstream and alternative communication networks in Nicaragua: telephone penetration rates, Internet access, and community-based "tele-centers".
- Governmental initiatives to bridge the digital divide, and Information Society initiatives in Nicaragua.
Students are welcome to propose other topics on their own, but they must consult with the instructors and get their approval before starting working on the project. (top)
Recommended readings
These books provide an insightful view to issues related to development, justice, and Nicaragua:
- Amartya Sen, Development as Freedom, Anchor Books, 1999.
- Thomas Walker, Nicaragua (Living in the Shadow of the Eagle), Westview Press, 4th edition, 2003. (top)
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