Development Studies

This survey course examines innovation holistically, encouraging students to question the status quo and critically examine both the positive and negative impacts of innovation. 

Innovation is often hailed as the ultimate solution to many challenges, ranging from economic growth to technological advancement. However, this enthusiastic embrace of innovation frequently overlooks its significant negative effects on individuals, society, politics, and the environment. While innovation has propelled societies forward in many areas, it has also created new problems, often exacerbating inequalities and producing unforeseen consequences. 

Through lectures and debates on current case studies—such as climate change, the brain drain from poorer countries to developed nations, and the impact of artificial intelligence on individuals and society—students will explore the multifaceted nature of innovation and develop principles for a more inclusive and responsible approach. This course challenges students to think critically about who benefits from innovation and who may be disadvantaged, prompting consideration of ethical, social, and environmental dimensions alongside economic and technological ones. By engaging with diverse perspectives, students gain an appreciation for the complexity of innovation and the importance of a balanced approach. 

This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their critical role in shaping global development. It provides the knowledge and skills necessary to critically analyze, evaluate, and contribute to the progress towards these goals, particularly within the context of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It prepares students for a range of professional roles where understanding and facilitating sustainable development is key.

This course covers the politics of development at various geographical scales (urban, national, and international). It also examines how partnerships and negotiations work among various participants who have conflicted, competed, and cooperated throughout the modern history of space/place making. Students learn skills to critically analyze the power relations that exist among different actors involved in development. The course asks “Who governs?” and “Who makes decisions or influences decision-making that leads to the formation of space?” Regarding the influence of decision-making, the course focuses on the politics of policy narratives and environmental discourses. Topics include What is the power in placemaking; Body Politics- Capitalizing, industrializing, and disciplining bodies; Critical Geopolitics; The geopolitics of nuclear weapons and nuclear power; The politics of memory and memory placemaking.  

This is a practical course covering the theory and practice of volunteering. The course focuses on understanding the minimum content for participating in community service and focusing on the practice of social service activities. Students learn how to plan and practice volunteer community service. Volunteer confirmation and volunteer diary must be submitted. 

Building on the theoretical constructs and skills of earlier courses, students are introduced to Community Development from a political economy of welfare perspective. This course uses youth development and contemporary issues as a lens for learning about community assessment and intervention strategies. The course provides the basic concepts, theory, processes and skills required for culturally appropriate assessment of systems and situations at community level, and community development as a strategy of interaction within a framework of youth and youth development in South and Southern Africa. Course entry requirements: At least second-year status.

This course explores key sustainable development challenges, including climate change, poverty, inequality and social justice. It explores the concept of sustainable development and assesses the effectiveness of a range of approaches to development. The role of government, business and civil society in addressing global challenges is considered.

This course focuses on how gender is socially, economically, and politically constructed in the community/society and how gender matters in addressing development. The course also addresses the kinds of policy and project interventions to achieve sustainable development and gender equalities.

This course examine core theories and frameworks used in geography to account for the social, spatial and economic unevenness in global development. it focuses on questions relating to who are the winners and losers from contemporary patterns of global economic change. This includes the analysis of relevant conceptual approaches to understand processes of global development and inequality (including comparative advantage, global value chain theory, developmentalism, structuralism, neo-liberalism, and post-development). Then, it adopts a livelihoods approach to better understand these broader processes from the perspective of individuals, households and communities. In general, issues are tailored to themes being played out in Asia-Pacific countries. 

Persistent gender and other inequalities in education, employment, income and other resources, including technology use, continue to deter adults and children from attaining their full potential in many parts of the world. Although there is some progress in addressing inequalities across the world, rapidly increasing access to digital devices and platforms in many parts of the world poses new challenges. This course addresses three interrelated questions about the drivers of digital inequality, how they are patterned across gender, racial, and ethnic identities as well as how they intersect with other forms of social inequalities. A strong emphasis is also placed on novel strategies for tracking and confronting these inequalities to attain a more just and equitable society for all.

This course addresses the question, "What can we/I do to create a better world?" from the perspective of Goals 10 to 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This course analyzes various data, experiences, and information to gain a global perspective; acknowledges the current situation, and considers how to address complex issues as well as solutions and actions one can take.