PUBPOL674, Section 1:
The Economic Social Policies of Peru

January 10 – Feb. 21, 2007

Prof. Katherine Terrell

This two-credit seven week course is open to all graduate students interested in understanding the evolution of Peru’s economic, political and social institutions and policies.  We will begin with an overview of Peruvian history, starting with the Inca civilization. However, most of the course will focus on contemporary social and economic policies. The goal is to evaluate Peru’s progress in socio-economic development in various sectors (e.g, Health, Poverty, the Environment) and produce a policy papers on each of these.  

Most of the lectures will be presented by the different policy-interest groups created during the fall IEDP participant meeting.  Other students joining the course, but not participating in the IEDP policy research trip, will join one of the student policy interest groups that relate to their preferred policies regarding Peru. Thus most of the lectures will reflect the specific Peruvian policy interests of each group.   

Grades will be based on participation in the class and in the various organizational committees, class presentations, and the final policy paper.

First draft of the policy papers is due Monday, Feb. 19; final draft is due March 15.

Week 1 ( Jan 10):  Political/Economic History: from the Inca’s to the 1980s

During the first class we will become familiar with Peru's history from the rise of the various Pre-Columbian societies in Peru (most notably the Incas), and then discuss the Spanish colonial period, and the subsequent move of Peru towards independence.  We will then discuss Peru’s social class struggles between the landowner oligarchy, the agricultural laborers, and the progressive civil society.  Modern Peruvian history will also be examined, explaining the rise and strong hold on power of the military dictators in the 20th century, and the events which led to the Peruvian army calling for elections in the 1970s.  Finally we will discuss the internal war with the Shining Path, drug-trafficking, and the crippling external debt of the 1980s leading to Alberto Fujimori’s presidency, and the aftermath of the Fujimori presidency.  This will lead to the current history of Peru, including the recent election of Alan Garcia as president of Peru. 

Week 2 (Jan. 17):  Economic Policy
We should get an understanding of the economic policies that Peru has followed in the last 20 years and what directions will be taken with the new President Alan Garcia.  The student group focusing on economic policy will ultimately decide the course of this presentation, but they may focus on the external debt issues of the 1970s and 1980s, the strength of the illegal economy of drugs in Peru, free market reforms of the 1990s, Peru’s membership in the Andean Community, and the recent 2006 trade agreement between Peru and  the United States.

Week 3 (Jan. 24): Foreign Policy 
Peru is a key player in South American and western hemispheric politics.  Peru’s relations with its neighbors can be contentious, regarding refugee issues from Peru’s internal conflicts of the 1970s-1990s, and the illegal production and trading of cocaine.  The student group focusing on foreign policy may address in their presentation, Peru’s concerns in the WTO, Peru’s contentious relationship with Ecuador over their borders and territories, Peru’s concerns about the internal conflicts in Colombia, Peru’s relationship with the United States, and Peru’s relationship with the Pacific Rim countries.

Week 4 (Jan. 31): Rural/Urban Divide  
As noted in the history section, the history of Peru is filled with numerous confrontations between various wealth, social, political, and cultural groups.  Most notably with the rise of market reforms Peruvian urban areas have outpaced rural areas in regards to wealth, health, and development.  Student groups focusing on rural/urban issues will most likely present on whether the Peruvian government has lacked sufficient development planning for the rural population, migration issues between rural and urban areas, the view of urban areas by rural area residents and vice-versa, the influence of urban and western ideas on rural populations, and the incorporation of the rural population into the urban area dominated economy. 

Week 5 (Feb. 7): Social Policy and Poverty 
Class will focus on evaluating the education and economic development systems developed under socialism and assess the degree of poverty. Most notably the Social policy and poverty student groups will most likely present on indigenous groups, the indigenous rights movements, the dichotomy and social issues related to class or cultural group identification, land rights legislation, and the effects of Structural Adjustment on Peru.

Week 6 (Feb. 14): Health Policy
The class will learn about the various health issues that have historically and presently affect Peru’s population,  and the policies and systems developed by Peru to improve health. The Health policy group may present on the current epidemiological shift that is occurring in Peru, as people with more wealth (especially in urban areas) are suffering from increased rates of chronic diseases (including increasing rates of cancer, heart disease, respiratory diseases, and obesity), while rural Peruvians continue to suffer from infectious diseases (diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections, malnutrition, parasitic infections, and the 1990s outbreak of cholera). Students may also relate the success and failures of Peru’s health system, and impacts of environmental degradation on the health of urban and rural populations.

Week 7 (Feb. 21): Environmental Policy   
Peru is one of the most environmentally diverse countries in the world.  Peru contains deserts, the Amazon rainforest, the Andes Mountains, and a variety of other environmental zones.  Conservation of the flora and fauna, along with limiting the costly environmental degradation practices of humans towards their health, agricultural and resource wealth, and aquatic environments will be discussed. The student group focusing on environmental policy may present, on the effects of slash and burn agriculture, harmful effects of Peru’s mining and oil extraction programs, biopiracy in the Amazon Rainforest, illegal logging, coca production and its effects on sustainable agriculture, and the growth of urban areas and their effects on needed human resources.

During this class, we will also discuss the final logistics for our departure and arrival in Peru, and our schedule in Peru.  Information on culture, safety concerns, and conduct during meetings will be provided.  We will also mention a few entertainment and cultural sites to explore during free-time.