Development Studies (DEST) 201 - Lecture 02/Lab 07

Introduction to Development Studies
Fall 2008
MWF 14:00-14:50 SB 144

 

Instructor:	Dr. D. M. Nault
Office Location:	TBA
Office Phone:	TBA
E-Mail:	dmnault@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	http://blackboard.ucalgary.ca/webapps/login
Office Hours:	TBA

Course Description

This course serves as a general introduction to development studies. Interdisciplinary in scope, it explores such questions as What is development? Can development be managed or willed to occur? Is development an ethical practice? and How does development impact upon people worldwide? Through readings and lectures, students will learn how different classes, peoples and nations experience and cope with challenging social, political and economic conditions and what actions might be taken to solve or at least mitigate development-related problems afflicting the world today. Themes to be covered in the course include hunger and famine, poverty and wealth, health and disease, war and conflict, capitalism vs. socialism, colonialism, the environment, globalization, inequality, human rights, foreign aid, gender, culture and theories of development.

Objectives of the Course

By the end of the course students should be able to

l grasp the highly contentious nature of development as a concept

l understand the key debates pertaining to development as a theory and practice

l assess the causes of development-related problems

l assess basic development policies

l determine where they personally stand on development issues

l substantially improve their critical thinking skills and global awareness

Textbooks and Readings

1) Tim Allen and Alan Thomas, eds. Poverty and Development into the 21st Century. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2nd ed., 2004.

2) Katie Willis, Theories and Practices of Development. New York: Routledge, 2005.

Assignments and Evaluation

Quizzes (2 x 15% = 30%) (Sept. 26 and Oct. 24)

Research paper (30%) (Due date: December 5)

Final exam (30%) (Scheduled by Registrar)

Participation (10%) (Ongoing)

Quizzes: Students will be given two in-class quizzes during the first half of the course. Each quiz will consist of a combination of short and long answer questions on lectures and materials covered prior to the quiz.

Research paper: The paper will be due in class at the end of the course. It should be 1,500 to 2,000 words in length, double-spaced, and include endnotes and a bibliography. A list of topics will be provided in class, though students may also select a topic in consultation with the instructor. The paper must use at least ten sources, at least eight of which must be scholarly books and articles from reputable journals. A maximum of two Internet sources will be allowed but they must be of scholarly quality and value (i.e., no Wikipedia or personal web sites). If in doubt about the validity of a source, ask the instructor. The paper ideally should demonstrate the student's ability to think critically, support arguments with evidence, and synthesize sources. High quality papers are those that go beyond mere description by posing thought provoking questions and providing insight. They are also free of grammatical errors, logically structured, cohesive, and concise in style.

Note: Please hand in your research paper directly to the instructor in class. If for some reason it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submissions. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

Final exam: The final exam will be based on course readings, lecture material, and videos/films covered through the whole course. It will consist of a combination of short and long answer questions. As it will be scheduled by the Registrar, the date and place will be announced later.

Participation: Students should attend regularly and participate in class and group discussions to the best of their ability. Although lectures will form the core of the course, time will be made for students to reflect and offer their views on course themes.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination: YES

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline will be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre. Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

(Revised, effective September 2008)

	Grading Scale
A+	96-100	C+	65-69.99
A	90-95.99	C	60-64.99
A -	85-89.99	C-	55-59.99
B+	80-84.99	D+	53-54.99
B	75-79.99	D	50-52.99
B-	70-74.99	F	0-49

 

Where a grade on a particular assignment is expressed as a letter grade, it will normally be converted to a number using the midpoint of the scale.  That is, A- would be converted to 87.5 for calculation purposes.  F will be converted to zero.

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be handed out in class and posted on Blackboard.