Rural development in the Global South

Course Code: PNS0216 Language: English Distance course: Yes

A basic introduction to the subject rural development in the Global South, focusing on introducing key concepts and debating the issue of ‘development’ with a specific focus on the situations of rural areas across the global south.

The course consists of three blocks where each takes place during one week with about five activities (e.g. lectures, seminars). The first block focuses on a history of ideas in our subject while the latter two expand into two key contemporary themes developed in the field.

1. Rural development, post-colonialism, and beyond
The first block will provide an introduction to the evolution of thinking in rural development from more “mainstream” approaches to critical development studies, post-colonial critiques, and beyond.

2. Rural transformations
The second block will explore key thematic issues relating to rural transformations including: dynamics of agrarian change in the contemporary era; changing relationships between state, society, and the market; shifts in rural livelihoods; and social vulnerability and resilience.

3. Politics of natural resources and the environment
The third block will examine issues relating environmental politics, including: natural resource governance and contestation, the politics of “participation”, and continuity and change in global environmental agendas and their implications for welfare and justice of resource dependent populations.

For more information visit the course webpage.