UT-404 Current development issues: Inequality, Power and Social Change

• Introduction
• History of Development
• Critical Perspectives on Development
• The Millenium Development Goals
• The Nature of Poverty

• Development with or without Development Collaboration ?
• Globalization: The Main Actors (WTO, World Bank, Multinational Corporations, etc)
• Regional Blocs: (including NEPAD, ECOWAS and ASEAN).

• What is good governance ?
• Corruption as a Global Phenomenon
• The Evolution of Poverty Reduction Strategies

• The Urban Transition – Towards an Urban World
• Rural Transformation in the Context of Rapid Urbanization
• The Issue of Urban Scale: Small Towns to Megacities
• Urbanization – Good or Bad ?
• Dynamics of Internal Migration

• Global Overview of Population Trends
• Is there a ‘Population Problem’ ?
• Country Policies and Responses Regarding the Population Issue.

• 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
• 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
• be able to critically analyse and discuss dominant discourses from a political economy perspective
• 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
• 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

• Present different views relating to the concept of development and current development issues.
• Discuss the various meanings of poverty.
• Describe some of the main actors involved in the processes of globalisation.
• Discuss the complex issues which comprise the concept of good governance.
• Describe and critically discuss problems relating to urban growth, small town development and the impact on rural areas.
• Give an overview of global population trends and discuss whether we have a population problem.

• making informed strategic decisions based on development scenarios;
• collaborative work on-line and face-to-face with peers by sharing ideas, analyzing problems and finding solutions;
• summarizing and evaluating arguments
• balancing and integrating different points of view in decision making processes;
• writing academic deliverables
• environmental information communication;

English

Portfolio assessment: 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).

Theoretical

Arne Olav Øyhus / Jonathan Baker / Jeanett Wilberg

Available on request.

Normally first year.

First year of master's programme.