Global governance and the role of Multilateral Development Banks

This course is available for in-person and remote (online) learning. This course explores contemporary global governance in practice, using case studies about the work of Multilateral Development Banks, like the World Bank and other regional development banks. Organisations like the World Bank have the potential to set the agenda for international development assistance, and traditionally have done so. However, geo-political changes at the start of the “Asian Century” are now leading to new and competing sources of development knowledge and finance. In this context, we explore the ideas, tools and policies that are typically used by Multilateral Development Banks to guide their operations and exert influence, including: the Sustainable Development Goals; loans for infrastructure; country-level reform packages; mechanisms for securing global public goods like biodiversity; rising private sector engagements; safeguards and grievance mechanisms; and development indicators. We explore the power, efficacy and limitations of these global governance practices, revealing: (i) the social construction and political nature of global expertise; and (ii) how institutions like the World Bank are not monolithic, but are often subject to internal contestation and practical limitations, as they confront a wide variety of complex, real-world problems. This course is suitable for students of Public Policy, International Relations, Development Studies and Anthropology.