The International and Global Studies Program is pleased to announce that Dr. Rogelio Garcia Contreras, teaching assistant professor and director of social innovation in the Walton College of Business, will be offering a new course- INST 4913 International Studies Seminar: International Development in spring 2024.

This course explores major contemporary issues related to poverty, inequality, sustainability and justice on a global scale. The course evaluates the impact of colonialism, globalization and the free market economy on our current understanding of development. It highlights the complexities and challenges posted by current economic, social and geopolitical circumstances while examining a variety of theoretical frameworks, contrasting them with statistical and empirical evidence. A comprehensive approach to human development using benchmarks like the Sustainable Development Goals or the Inner Development Goals is central to the content, discussions and case studies analyzed in this course. Through a multidisciplinary lens, students will gain a deeper understanding of the economic and geopolitical implications of development, as well as a broader perspective of the challenges and opportunities associated with the concept. 

Contreras holds a Ph.D. in international studies from Josef Korbel School and an M.A. in international studies from the University of Denver. He received his B.S. in mathematics from Purdue University.

The course meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8-9:15 a.m. in GEAR 0108. For more information, contact the director for International and Global Studies Program Dr. Ka Zeng, kzeng@uark.edu.