UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

CCS 002: FUNDAMENTALS OF DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR APPLICATION TO

KENYA (MAY - AUGUST 2020 SEMESTER)

INSTRUCTORS: DR. H. AMADI

CONSULTATION HOURS: AS ADVISED IN CLASS
LECTURE HOURS AND VENUES: AS ASSIGNED

COURSE OBJECTIVES, DESCRIPTION, REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

CCS 002 is a common course designed to familiarize undergraduate students (in their second
semester of the First Year) with the fundamental issues in development with specific reference to
Kenya. The course shall be deemed successful if at the end of the course, students are expected to
be able to understand and appreciate the challenges, constrains and opportunities that have shaped
and continue to shape Kenya’s development process. Students are required to attend all lectures.

Some of the issues addressed are: meaning of the term “development”, selected theories of
development and underdevelopment, especially modernization and dependency; the influence of
colonial legacy on development policy-making and implementation in Kenya; the role of ideology
in development with specific reference to the Kenya Sessional Paper no. 10 of 1965; the role of
Education in development; Agricultural policy formulation and implementation in Kenya;
Industrialization policies, and foreign direct investments (FDI) and Regional Integration and their
respective impacts on Kenya’s development (SAPs, etc.).

The course shall be assessed as follows:

One Continuous Assessment Test (CAT) -30%
Final Exam -70%
Total -100%

Readings have been assigned for each topic to be covered as shown in this course outline. The
instructors have bound relevant copies and placed them on the reserve sections of the respective
libraries. In addition, supplementary readings may be posted at the University’s e-learning portal for

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reference by students. Students are encouraged to read widely, that is, even relevant material that
may not be listed here. Students are also advised to observe all standard etiquettes, including being
attentive, switching off their phones and avoiding unnecessary movements in class.

Outline of Topics and Readings

TOPIC 1: Conceptualization of Development: Meaning and Dimensions of Development
- The Concept of Development?
- Dimensions of Development: Political, Social, Economic, Environmental, etc.

Readings
Adam Szirmai (2005), The Dynamics of Socio-economic Development: An Introduction,
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Ch. 1

Amartya Sen (1988), “The Concept of Development,” in H. Chenery and T. N. Srinivasnan (Eds),
Handbook of Development Economics, Vol. 1.

Dudley Seers (1969), “The Meaning of Development,” IDS Communication 44, Institute of
Development Studies,

UNDP: Kenya Human Development Reports.

Anonymous, Reflections on Social Development.

*Dudley seers, What are we trying to Measure?

UNDP, Defining and Measuring Human Development

*David C. Korten, People-Centred Development: Alternative for a World in Crisis, (pp 53-77)

TOPIC 2: Modernization Theory of Development

-What is modernization?
-Major assumptions/arguments of the modernization theory.

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 -Weaknesses and strengths of modernization theory in explaining Kenya’s development
experience.

Readings:
Andrew Webster, Modernization Theory pp 104/119

Remigio E. Agpalo, Modernization, Development and Civilization, pp. 81-94

J. Matunhu (2011), A Critique of Modernization and Dependency Theories in Africa: Critical
Assessment, African Journal of History and Culture, Vol. 3 (5), pp. 65-72, June 2011.

W. W. Rostow (1959), The Stages of Economic Growth, The Economic History Review, Second
Series, Vol. XII, No. 1

TOPIC 3: The Dependency theory of underdevelopment

-What is dependency?
- Origins of the dependency theory.
-Major assumptions of the theory.
-Weaknesses and strengths of the theory in explaining Kenya’s development experience.

Readings:
Ron Ayres, Schools of Development Thought, pp 97-103

Anonymous, Underdevelopment and Marxism, pp 178-192

J. Matunhu (2011), A Critique of Modernization and Dependency Theories in Africa: Critical

Assessment, African Journal of History and Culture, Vol. 3 (5), pp. 65-72, June 2011.

James Caporaso (1978), Depenence, Dependency and Power in the Global System: A Structural and
Behavioural Analysis, International Organization, Vol. 32, No. 1, Dependence and Dependency in
the Global System (Winter, 1978), pp. 13-43

TOPIC 4: Colonial Legacy and Kenya’s Development Experience

-What is colonialism?

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 -Objectives of colonialism
-Impact of colonial rule on Kenya’s development.

Readings
Colin Leys, Underdevelopment in Kenya: The Political Economy of Neo-colonialism, chapters 1
and 2.

John Gallagher and Ronald Robinson (1953), The Imperialism of Free Trade, The Economic
History Review, New Series, Vol. 6, No. 1 (1953), 1-15

TOPIC 5: Education and Development

-What is education?
-The social, economic and political contributions to education in Kenya
-Problems facing the education sector in Kenya.

Readings
Republic of Kenya: Second University in Kenya: Report of the Presidential Working Party, Nairobi.
Government printer 1981.

Gituro Wainaina, An Inequality Perspective of Education Structure and Performance in Kenya pp

158-193

Brian Cooksey, David Court and Ben Makau, Education for Self-Reliance and Harambee, pp 201-
233.

Republic of Kenya, Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2005 on A Policy Framework for Education, Training
and Research, Nairobi: Government Printer, 2005.

TOPIC 6: Agriculture and Development

- What is agriculture?
-Agricultural politics in Kenya.
-Problems facing agriculture in Kenya.
-Assessment of the contribution of agriculture to Kenya’s development

Readings

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Michael F. Lofchie, The Politics of Agricultural Policy, pp 129

Republic of Kenya, Sessional Paper No. 4 of 1981 on National Food Policy, Nairobi. Government
of Kenya.

Michael F. Lofchie, Africa’s Agricultural Crisis: An overview, pp 637-650.

Andrew Storey, Food Vs Cash Crops in Africa, pp 652-664

TOPIC 7: Industrialization and Development

-The meaning of industrialization.
-Major policy measures and strategies in Kenya’s industrialization sector.
-Major problems in Kenya’s industrialization process.

Readings
Kenneth King, From Informal sector to Jua Kali: The Kenyanization of Micro-enterprise
Development, pp., 1-43.

O. Odufalu, Industrialization and African Development, pp289-309.

Republic of Kenya, Sessional paper No.2 of 1996 on Industrial Transformation to the Year 2020,
Nairobi: Government Printer, 1996.

Amiya Kumar Bagehi, Industrialization pp 665-674.

Republic of Kenya, Sessional paper No. 2 of 2005 on “Development of Micro and Small
Enterprises for Wealth and Employment Creation for Poverty Reduction, Nairobi. Govt.
Printer; 2005.

TOPIC 8: The Role of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in Development in Kenya

-What are MNCS?
-What is the impact of MNCS on Development?

Readings:
Steven W. Langdon, Multinational Corporations in the Political Economy of Kenya pp1-45

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Maria Nzomo (1994), “External Influence on the Political Economy of Kenya: The Case of MNCs,”
in Walter O. Oyugi (Ed), Politics and Administration in East Africa, Nairobi: East Africa Publishers

TOPIC 9: Regional Integration and Development

-What is Regional Integration?
-What are the objectives of Regional Integration?
-What are the stages of Regional Integration?
-How can Kenya benefit from Regional Integration?

Readings:
Phillip O. Nying’uro, The EAC’s Prospects on the Global Stage pp 32-44

Henry Kyambalesa and Mathurin C. Houngnikpo, Economic Integration and Development in

Africa (2006)