Critical Perspectives on Development Processes: From Economic Growth to Human Development

Undervisningsspråk

English

Krav til forkunnskapar

Only students at master level are accepted.

Læringsutbyte

The students should be able to:

• Account for the most relevant development theories, and be able to trace the transition from economic growth to human development, with particular emphasis on the contributions of gender research.
• Discuss different ways in which the notion of human development seeks to establish interconnections among the manifold aspects of processes of socio-economic and political change, and the ways in which it addresses poverty.
• Show an understanding of the most important contributions to development ethics by feminist philosophy and development economics.
• Identify different institutional frameworks in development policy and planning from the perspective of gender mainstreaming, and gender planning and tools used in such planning.
• Discuss rights- and needs-based approaches to development and their relevance for analysing aspects like gender, class and ethnicity.

Undervisningssemester

Autumn

Undervisningsspråk

English

Institutt

Dept. of Education and Health Promotion, Faculty of Psychology.

Mål og innhald

The main aim of this course is to trace the conceptual and policy trajectory from economic growth to human development, with particular emphasis on contributions from gender research. The course will offer a critical analysis of the most relevant development theories in contemporary debates: their controversial aspects, strengths and weaknesses. It will also look into some of the challenges to development posed by globalisation. The course places particular emphasis on poverty and vulnerability, processes of production and re-production of discrimination and exclusion, and the ways in which development theories and practices address the goals of empowerment and self-reliance.

Læringsutbyte/resultat

The students should be able to:

• Account for the most relevant development theories, and be able to trace the transition from economic growth to human development, with particular emphasis on the contributions of gender research.
• Discuss different ways in which the notion of human development seeks to establish interconnections among the manifold aspects of processes of socio-economic and political change, and the ways in which it addresses poverty.
• Show an understanding of the most important contributions to development ethics by feminist philosophy and development economics.
• Identify different institutional frameworks in development policy and planning from the perspective of gender mainstreaming, and gender planning and tools used in such planning.
• Discuss rights- and needs-based approaches to development and their relevance for analysing aspects like gender, class and ethnicity.

Krav til forkunnskapar

Only students at master level are accepted.

Undervisning og omfang

Different forms of teaching will be employed, including ordinary lectures, seminars and workshops.

Vurderingsformer

Students´ work in this course will be evaluated through portfolio assessment and a 7 days end of semester take-home exam.

Læremiddelomtale

The syllabus and suggested literature totals around 1000 pages.

Emneevaluering

Student evaluations during and after the course.