Students

ANTH221 – Development Studies: The Anthropology of International Aid

2018 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Chris Lyttleton
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
ANTH150 or (12cp at 100 level or above) or admission to GDipArts
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Based on lessons from practical experience in development programs, this unit seeks to address the common perception that even while delivering benefits to many in the developing world, foreign aid ‘could and should do better’. Students will come to understand donor-driven development as both a way of thinking and a set of practices that affect recipient populations in profound ways. We begin with theories of what makes 'development' take place. We examine different models for helping people in poor countries to show how the complexity of international and national relations at the macro-level and social relations at the micro-level makes this such a difficult process. We then explore specific themes in the contemporary practice of 'doing development' such as the changing rhetoric and practices of donor agencies, structural adjustment and China's increasing impact, debt crisis and poverty alleviation, NGOs and community empowerment, gender and social vulnerability, fair trade and sustainability, resettlement and social justice.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Understand why international aid remains such a contested arena within international relations and, at times, such a problematic context for altruistic notions of help.
  • Learn to think critically and reflexively about recent debates informing development, the motivations behind international aid, what makes programs successful and why there can be difficulties in its delivery
  • Read widely and actively participate in discussions concerning the nature of interactions between development agencies and target communities within the developing world and thereby gain detailed picture of what international aid entails.
  • Examine the social outcomes that emerge from programs of international aid by looking beyond the rhetoric and developing an appreciation of complex factors that influence these outcomes

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Lecture/Tutorial participation 20% No weekly
Short report 10% No Week 5
Essay 35% No Week 8
Take home exam 35% No exam period

Lecture/Tutorial participation

Due: weekly
Weighting: 20%

  


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand why international aid remains such a contested arena within international relations and, at times, such a problematic context for altruistic notions of help.
  • Learn to think critically and reflexively about recent debates informing development, the motivations behind international aid, what makes programs successful and why there can be difficulties in its delivery
  • Read widely and actively participate in discussions concerning the nature of interactions between development agencies and target communities within the developing world and thereby gain detailed picture of what international aid entails.

Short report

Due: Week 5
Weighting: 10%

see unit guide on ilearn for details and due date.  Submitted via turnitin.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand why international aid remains such a contested arena within international relations and, at times, such a problematic context for altruistic notions of help.
  • Learn to think critically and reflexively about recent debates informing development, the motivations behind international aid, what makes programs successful and why there can be difficulties in its delivery
  • Examine the social outcomes that emerge from programs of international aid by looking beyond the rhetoric and developing an appreciation of complex factors that influence these outcomes

Essay

Due: Week 8
Weighting: 35%

see unit guide on ilearn for due date.  Essay submitted via turnitin.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand why international aid remains such a contested arena within international relations and, at times, such a problematic context for altruistic notions of help.
  • Learn to think critically and reflexively about recent debates informing development, the motivations behind international aid, what makes programs successful and why there can be difficulties in its delivery
  • Examine the social outcomes that emerge from programs of international aid by looking beyond the rhetoric and developing an appreciation of complex factors that influence these outcomes

Take home exam

Due: exam period
Weighting: 35%

for more details of asessment tasks see unit guide on ilearn


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand why international aid remains such a contested arena within international relations and, at times, such a problematic context for altruistic notions of help.
  • Learn to think critically and reflexively about recent debates informing development, the motivations behind international aid, what makes programs successful and why there can be difficulties in its delivery

Delivery and Resources

Lectures - Monday11-1pm. Location:  14 SCO (Sir Christopher Ondaatje Ave) theatre: 100

Lectures will use videos and other graphic material not available elsewhere.  It is required that all students attend lectures.

Check ilearn page for lists of weekly tutorial readings (available through library's e-reserve) and see the outline on ilearn for background readings and other resources 

Unit Schedule

see lecture program ilearn and read the detailed outline for weekly topics and tutorial questions

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Read widely and actively participate in discussions concerning the nature of interactions between development agencies and target communities within the developing world and thereby gain detailed picture of what international aid entails.

Assessment task

  • Lecture/Tutorial participation

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Learn to think critically and reflexively about recent debates informing development, the motivations behind international aid, what makes programs successful and why there can be difficulties in its delivery

Assessment tasks

  • Lecture/Tutorial participation
  • Short report
  • Essay
  • Take home exam

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand why international aid remains such a contested arena within international relations and, at times, such a problematic context for altruistic notions of help.
  • Learn to think critically and reflexively about recent debates informing development, the motivations behind international aid, what makes programs successful and why there can be difficulties in its delivery
  • Read widely and actively participate in discussions concerning the nature of interactions between development agencies and target communities within the developing world and thereby gain detailed picture of what international aid entails.

Assessment tasks

  • Lecture/Tutorial participation
  • Short report
  • Essay
  • Take home exam

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand why international aid remains such a contested arena within international relations and, at times, such a problematic context for altruistic notions of help.
  • Learn to think critically and reflexively about recent debates informing development, the motivations behind international aid, what makes programs successful and why there can be difficulties in its delivery
  • Examine the social outcomes that emerge from programs of international aid by looking beyond the rhetoric and developing an appreciation of complex factors that influence these outcomes

Assessment tasks

  • Lecture/Tutorial participation
  • Short report
  • Essay
  • Take home exam

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Examine the social outcomes that emerge from programs of international aid by looking beyond the rhetoric and developing an appreciation of complex factors that influence these outcomes

Assessment tasks

  • Short report
  • Essay

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Read widely and actively participate in discussions concerning the nature of interactions between development agencies and target communities within the developing world and thereby gain detailed picture of what international aid entails.

Assessment task

  • Lecture/Tutorial participation

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand why international aid remains such a contested arena within international relations and, at times, such a problematic context for altruistic notions of help.
  • Learn to think critically and reflexively about recent debates informing development, the motivations behind international aid, what makes programs successful and why there can be difficulties in its delivery
  • Read widely and actively participate in discussions concerning the nature of interactions between development agencies and target communities within the developing world and thereby gain detailed picture of what international aid entails.
  • Examine the social outcomes that emerge from programs of international aid by looking beyond the rhetoric and developing an appreciation of complex factors that influence these outcomes

Assessment tasks

  • Lecture/Tutorial participation
  • Short report
  • Essay
  • Take home exam

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Examine the social outcomes that emerge from programs of international aid by looking beyond the rhetoric and developing an appreciation of complex factors that influence these outcomes

Assessment tasks

  • Short report
  • Essay