UT-404 Current development issues: Inequality, Power and Social Change
- ECTS Credits:
- 10
- Responsible department:
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Course Leader:
- Christian Webersik
- Lecture Semester:
- Autumn
- Teaching language:
- English.
- Duration:
- 1 term
The course is connected to the following study programs
Teaching language
English.Course contents
This course addresses the complex intersections between poverty, inequality and power in global and local development. It offers critical and contextual perspectives and takes as its point of departure an analysis of how the persistence of poverty and deepening of inequality are related to the workings of multiple structures of power in the contemporary world-system. Focusing on key transformations in the political economy of global capitalism, students are challenged to explore how poverty and inequality are gendered and racialized and influenced by social class across the North-South axis. The course discusses how conventional development actors - states, multilateral and bilateral organizations, and NGOs - define and address these challenges. Furthermore, in this course we address a wide range of responses to poverty and inequality, ranging from migration via social movements, to new forms of global citizenship and citizen initiatives in the development field.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this course the students should:
-
have thorough knowledge of theories, concepts, and models of how to engage with poverty, inequality and power across the North-South axis
-
have in depth knowledge of the various actors involved in the field of development and how they in diverse ways address and influence the complex intersections between poverty, inequality and power
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have a thorough understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their potential impact on addressing poverty and inequality, as well as responses to the SDG agenda from various actors
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be able to critically analyse and discuss dominant discourses from a political economy perspective
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be able to critically link theoretical approaches to empirical cases and have knowledge of and ability to discuss aspects of the thematic from the standpoint of everyday life practices in different contexts
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be able to critically discuss and analyse theoretical and policy approaches to the thematic of poverty and inequality, being able to recognise and critically analyse power dimensions and its outcomes in the field of development
Teaching methods
Netbased teaching through Canvas. Estimated workload, 27 hours per credit.
Evaluation
The person responsible for the course decides, in cooperation with student representative, the form of student evaluation and whether the course is to have a midway or end of course evaluation in accordance with the quality system for education, chapter 4.1.
Assessment methods and criteria
Portfolio assessment counting 100%. The portfolio includes hand-ins, activities and contributions during the course. A study guide and calendar will provide more detailed information at the beginning of the semester. The grades A-F are used (ECTS grading scale).
Reduction of Credits
This course’s contents overlap with the following courses. A reduction of credits will occur if one of these courses is taken in addition:
| Course | Reduction of Credits |
|---|---|
| UT-401 – Current Development Issues | 7.5 |