Development Studies (DEST) 375 - Lecture 01
Gender and Development

Fall 2008

Thursdays 11:00-13:50 SA 124A

 

Instructor:	Chui-Ling Tam
Office Location:	SS 336
Office Phone:	(403) 220-7182
E-Mail:	cltam@ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	Mondays 14:00-16:00 or by appointment

Additional Information

For electronic communication with the instructor, students are encouraged to use their ucalgary accounts or Blackboard - the instructor will normally reply within 48 hours, during regular business hours.

Course Description

Drawing from the fields of development studies and women's studies, we will study the theories, policies and practices of development, with an emphasis on women's lived experiences, to interrogate the gendered nature of development impacts and responses. We will study theoretical perspectives on gender and development, struggles for women's rights and self-determination around the world, and women's efforts for sustainable development.  While the primary focus will be on international development, we will also explore issues of development within Canada, including Aboriginal communities.

Contemporary issues will be examined in historical and geographical context in order to critically engage with the gendered division of labour, globalization, poverty, discrimination, environmental change and conflict, violence and vulnerability.  We will explore alternative approaches to gender and development, and strategies for empowerment. Class attendance and participation are expected.

Objectives of the Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• explore theoretical perspectives on gender and development;
• critically reflect upon development policies and practices, and their gendered impacts;
• recognize linkages among gender, rights, inequality, sustainability, and development;
• assess development as a local and global phenomenon;
• explore strategies for resistance and empowerment.

Textbooks and Readings:

Parpart, J, Connelly, M and Barriteau, V, eds. (2000) Theoretical Perspectives on Gender and Development. Ottawa: IDRC. (Available in UofC electronic library)

Information on additional required reading materials will be posted on Blackboard.

Assignments and Evaluation

Task	Value	Due
Group seminar	15%	Thursdays (to be scheduled)
Research proposal	10%	October 9
Midterm test	20%	October 16
Research paper	30%	November 13
Take-home final exam	25%	December 05 by 12:00pm

Group seminar

Students will form groups of 4-6 members to conduct a class presentation. The groups will link a case study of their choice or a position statement to the assigned reading; consultation with the instructor prior to the seminar is required. As part of its analysis, each group will discuss the five major points raised in the assigned reading. The seminars will be conducted during September 18 to November 27, and will last 20-30 minutes. Choice of reading and time slot will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.

 

Research proposal

Students will develop an essay proposal relevant to the course topic, including their ideas for references and other sources. Students are expected to not only state their topic, but explain their rationale, what they hope to achieve in terms of addressing theory and problems of gender and development, and demonstrate that they have done enough research to be assured of the viability and practicability of their research proposal. Maximum length is 500 words or two pages, plus an annotated bibliography with at least two scholarly references. (Motivated students have the option to integrate their research proposal with a video contest hosted by the Canadian charity WaterCan; see details on http://www.watercan.com/videocontest/ and speak to the instructor before proceeding.)

Midterm test

The midterm test covers all readings, lectures and videos during weeks 1-5.

Research paper

Students will build on their experiences and assignments thus far in the course to prepare a research paper that demonstrates engagement with theory, analysis, and case study evidence. A clear position must be stated or reached, via a clear purpose to test an hypothesis, answer a research question or defend a thesis statement. Students are expected to stay true to the spirit of their essay proposal, but may add to or delete materials from their proposal. Tables, charts, images and list of references are not included in the maximum length. Maximum length is 3,000 words or 12 pages.

Take-home final exam

The final examination covers all readings, lectures and videos presented during the term. The exam question(s) will be announced at the last class on December 4 and/or on Blackboard. The deadline for submission is December 05 at 12:00 p.m.

Style and Length Requirements for Written Assignments

Students are urged to stay within the maximum word and/or page length, or risk a penalty. A bibliography and brief appendix are not included in the length restrictions. All written assignments (with the exception of the critical reading summaries) must be TYPED and DOUBLE-SPACED in 12 PT FONT. Page margins should be 1 INCH (2.5 cm) wide, and all pages should be numbered. Double-sided assignments are encouraged to save paper, but are not mandatory. Information to be included on the title page are: title of paper, course code, instructor's name, student's name, student ID, and date of submission. References should follow a bona fide format.

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If 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 submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  NO

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may 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
A	90-95.99
A -	85-89.99
B+	80-84.99
B	75-79.99
B-	70-74.99
C+	65-69.99
C	60-64.99
C-	55-59.99
D+	53-54.99
D	50-52.99
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.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see

The Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be distributed in class and/or posted on Blackboard.