Fall 2026
The Politics of International Development
A seminar on foreign aid and international development, taught alongside a live natural experiment: the 2025 dismantlement of USAID. Mondays are discussion; Wednesdays pair that week's theory with a case study on the withdrawal.
This week
Course at a glance
- Meets
- Monday & Wednesday, 3:00–4:20 pm
- Location
- 219 David Kinley Hall
- Instructor
- Professor Cleo O'Brien-Udry
- Office hours
- Mon & Wed 1–3 pm · DKH 309
- coudry@illinois.edu
Grading
- 30%Class participation
Attendance, discussion, and weekly reading questions - 20%Case studies
Weekly, due Wednesdays, starting Week 5 - 20%Midterm exam
Essay exam at the CBTF, Wed 10/21 – Fri 10/23 - 30%Final exam
Essay exam at the CBTF, Mon 12/7 – Wed 12/9
One weekly reading question is due before each Monday session and counts toward participation.
Weeks
- Week 1What is international developmentMon Aug 24 · Wed Aug 26
- Week 2Development philosophiesMon Aug 31
- Week 3GeopoliticsWed Sep 9
- Week 4Measuring aidMon Sep 14 · Wed Sep 16
- Week 5Public opinionMon Sep 21 · Wed Sep 23
- Week 6Development bureaucraciesMon Sep 28 · Wed Sep 30
- Week 7Domestic politicsMon Oct 5 · Wed Oct 7
- Week 8ConflictMon Oct 12 · Wed Oct 14
- Week 9Private actors in international developmentMon Oct 19
- Week 10RefugeesMon Oct 26 · Wed Oct 28
- Week 11Migration and remittancesMon Nov 2 · Wed Nov 4
- Week 12Aid, trade, and FDIMon Nov 9 · Wed Nov 11
- Week 13Culture clashesMon Nov 16 · Wed Nov 18
- Week 14Climate change and aidMon Nov 30 · Wed Dec 2
- Week 15Semester synthesis discussionMon Dec 7
Exams
The midterm and final are essay exams taken in person at the Computer-Based Testing Facility (CBTF), in a time slot you reserve. How the exams work.