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Development Management

Overview

  • Credit value: 30 credits at Level 7
  • Convenor: Jasmine Gideon
  • Assessment: a 3000-word critical annotated bibliography (30%) and a 5000-word essay (70%)

    Module description

    This module aims to develop a critical awareness of development practice in a variety of contexts. We will explore how development looks when it is 'implemented' and critically analyse whether it is in fact possible to implement the many and varied ideas in development, whether these are actually able to bring about ‘good change’, or whether development as a practice is more committed to the maintenance of the status quo.

    A central element of our discussions in this module will be about the concept of 'practice'. We will begin by looking at different levels of practice in development and how these create different environments for the management of development.

    The course will go on to consider perhaps the central organising principle for development management: poverty. Our discussions will then go on to consider some of the key issues for development practice, such as sustainability, management approaches, participation, gender and rights based approaches to development, and ultimately, how these are able to respond to, and support, the complex realities of people’s lives.

    The module will include opportunities for student-led discussions, which will respond to your areas of expertise and interest. Examples might include discussions on the role of the media in development management, or the rising issue of security in development.

    Learning objectives

    By the end of the module, you will have:

    • increased knowledge and understanding of the current development discourse and industry, and the related challenges for development managers
    • critically assessed a selection of concepts, frameworks and planning tools used by development managers
    • developed an understanding of the complexity of development practice, and the potential for the reality of people's lives to be misunderstood and undermined by many development management approaches and their associated tools.