Bachelor of Arts (General) Degree in Development Studies

COURSE  OUTLINE

Course Details

LEVEL ONE - 1^st Year - Semester 1

Intended learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course every student will be able to understand how social, economic, political and environmental systems relate to each other as follows:

Describe development as a multi-dimensional phenomenon, as a cumulative product of interdependencies and interactions between social, economic, political, demographic and environmental systems.

Explains that development studies is multidisciplinary branch of social sciences; critically evaluate the nature of development studies

Course Content

Explin development measures, concept and Indicators, Nature and scope of development studies; multi-dimensionality; economic, social, political and environmental dimensions of development; Concepts and indicators of development,  Factors affecting the multi-dimensionality: multi-disciplinary nature; geographical, historical, demographic, social, cultural and political factors affecting development; evolution of development studies as a discipline; critique of development studies: Americanization of development ideals; ethno-centric and euro-centric nature of development studies; Current status of development studies as a discipline

Allocation of  Marks- %

Recommended Reading

Amarasinghe, A.G. (2012), Population and Development, Author Publication. ( Written in Sinhala)

Amarasinghe, A.G. 2014, Macro Human Resource Development, Author Publication ( Written in Sinhala)

Desai, Vandana and Potter, Robert B. ed. (2002).The Companion to Development Studies (London: Arnold)

Potter, Robert B. et al. (2004). Geographies of Development (England: Pearson Education Ltd).

Rist, Gilbert (1997). The History of Development (London: Zed Books Ltd.,)

Sen, Amartya (1999). Development as Freedom (Oxford: Oxford University Press)

Shin-Kap han  et al. (2014) Shifting Focus in Development Studies: Papers in Development and Society, 1998-2013' Development and Society, Volume 43, Number 1. June 2014, 59-80

LEVEL ONE - 1^st Year - Semester 2

Intended learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course every student will be able to,

Explain root causes underline major global development issues. explain developed/developing divide in the world, describe the disparities in development at global, regional and local levels and examine the factors underlying those disparities,describe the measures that have been adopted to minimize spatial disparities indevelopment describe and explain the magnitude and the multi-dimensionality of poverty and examine the   poverty alleviation strategies, investigate the environmental dimensions of development describe and explain the impact of globalization on development disparities/developing countries

Course Content

inequality and inequity in development; developed and developing divide at global level; developed and developing countries;  first, second and third worlds, the North South divide; G 8 countries;  transition economies; development disparities at regional level: development disparities among the developed countries; development disparities among the developing regions: Asia, Africa and Latin America; development disparities within countries especially in the developing world.; factors underlying development disparities:  colonialism, neo-colonialism; human and physical resources; population; issue of governance;  measures adopted: international aid; extent and distribution of poverty in the world;  what is poverty; its various dimensions; major poverty alleviation measures adopted at international and national levels; environmental impact of development; development impact of development; impacts of globalization on developing countries

Allocation of Marks- %

Recommended Reading

Alcock, Pete (1993) Understanding Poverty (Hampshire and London: Macmillan Press Limited)

Barke, Michael and O'Hare Greg (1993).The Third Word: Diversity, Change and Interdependence (Essex: Oliver & Boyd)

Greig, Alastair et al. (2007). Challenging Global Inequality: Development theory and Practice in the 21st Century (New York: Palgrave Macmillan)

Harris, Jonathan et al. ed. (2001).A Survey of Sustainable Development (Washington, DC.: Island Press).

Hettne, B. (1990). Development Theory and the Three Worlds (Harlow: London).

Potter, Robert B. et al. (2004). Geographies of Development (England: Pearson Education Ltd).

United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Human Development Report (various Issues).

World Bank, World Development Report (various Issues).

LEVEL Two – 2^nd Year - Semester 1

Intended learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course every student will be able to,

Identify the paradigms, concepts and theories of development, examine the problems associated with different development theories in practice, evaluate the measures that are being adopted to solve problems associated with different development theories and approaches, and examine the role of international agencies involved in development           

Course Content

Global development paradigms: orthodox, political economy, human development, neo-liberalism, sustainable development.  Modernization theory, Rostov model and the developing countries; challenges faced by the dependency theory; problems faced by the human development approaches; developing countries and neo-liberalism;  Washington Consensus;  practicalities involved in the sustainable development model. Foreign aid; community participation in development; bottom-up approach; safety nets; infrastructure development. Brettonwoods institutions; United States Department of State; international NGOs.

Allocation of Marks- %

Recommended Reading

Chew Sing C. and Denemark, Robert A. (1996).The Underdevelopment of Development(California: Sage Publications Inc.)

Desai, Vandana and Potter, Robert B. ed. (2002).The Companion to Development Studies (London: Arnold)

Kothari, Uma and Minogue, Martin ed. (2002.)Development Theory and Practice (Hampshire: Palgrave).

Potter, Robert B. et al. (2004). Geographies of Development (England: Pearson Education Ltd).

Simon, David and Narman, Anders ed. (1999).Development as Theory and Practice(Essex Pearson Education Limited)

Fine, Ben et al. ed. (2001).Development Policy in the Twenty-First Century(London and New York: Routledge)

LEVEL Two – 2^nd Year - Semester 2

Intended learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course every student will be able to,

Appreciate one's role in the development process (cultivates habit of caring for others)

Understand the value of community participation in development, Emphasize the need for critical thinking and adopting

humane approaches in development (perceives development as a process based on humane considerations), View indigenous wisdom as a valuable source for development; Emphasize the responsibility of people in achieving sustainable societies.

Course Content

Stakeholders in development;  role of the individual and the society in the development exercise; involvement of the community in development activities; sense of sustainability; humanness in development; ; rights as well as duties and responsibilities of the individual; women in development, indigenous wisdom and their integration into the development process; plural societies and development; humanness in development;

Allocation of Marks- %

Recommended Reading

Crewe Emma and Harrison, Elizabeth (1998).Whose Development?  (London and New York: Zed Books).

Greig, Alastair et al. (2007). Challenging Global Inequality: Development theory and Practice in the 21st Century (New York: Palgrave Macmillan)

Lipton, Michael   (1977).Why Poor People Stay Poor? Urban Bias in World Development (London: Temple Smith).

LEVEL Three – 3^rd  Year - Semester 1

Intended learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course every student will be able to,

describe economic and social development profile of Sri Lanka , interpret development experiences of Sri Lanka in the global context, evaluate development policies and critically examines selected development projects and programs, analyse development problems  of  Sri Lanka, prepare a poster on major development issues of Sri Lanka

Course Content

Economic and social development profile of Sri Lanka; development situation in the international context; major contributors to GNP: agriculture, industry, services and construction sectors; development policies of Sri Lanka in the context of changing global development paradigms;  major development programmes and projects; development challenges facing Sri Lanka: poverty, widening income gap; regional disparities in development; unemployment; environmental degradation; demography; ethnic, religious and other divisions, governance.

Allocation of Marks- %

Recommended Reading

Centre for Poverty Analysis (2003).  Poverty Issues in Sri Lanka (Colombo: Centre for Poverty Analysis).

Peiris, G.H.  (2006).Sri Lanka: Challenges of the New  Millennium (Kandy: Kandy Books)

Peiris, G.H.  (1996). Development and Change in Sri Lanka: Geographical Perspectives (New Delhi: Macmillan)

Patabendige, Ananda J. (2006). Industrial Policies and Employment Generation in Sri Lanka( Nugegoda, Sri Lanka: E.S.S.  Adventors).

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LEVEL Three – 3rd Year - Semester 2

Intended learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course every student will be able to,

Engage in the preparation of a research proposal, Design a research methodology,  Conduct independent research,  Analyze and present data, Search the Internet for information,

Course Content

Nature of research in development studies; dealing with both human and physical factors in order to understand, analyze, interpret and present development landscapes. the research process: identify a problem; literature survey; research questions and hypotheses; decide appropriate methods: quantitative and qualitative; research design; selection of samples, data collection methods; analysis and interpretation; writing reports and preparation of posters. Use the internet to gather relevant information; 

Allocation of Marks- %

Recommended Reading

Bernhardsen, Tor  (1999). Geographic Information Systems: An Introduction (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)

Creswell, John W. (1994).  Research Design ((California: Sage Publications Inc.)

Davis, Buce (1996). GIS: A Visual Approach (Santa Fe: Onward Pres

Punch, Keith F. (2005). Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches (London: Sage Publications Ltd.)

LEVEL Three – 3rd Year - Semester 2

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, the student will be able to describe the fundamental components of a GIS; define system specifications including projections, data and process; analyze data and prepare digital databases using GIS software; and summarize, using maps and tables,.   

Course Content:

Definitions, components of GIS, factors supporting the rise of GIS, philosophy of GIS, advantages of GIS,  Maps and GIS: definitions, map essentials, types of maps, map data, spatial data, spatial data coordinate systems, map projections, Universal Transverse Mercator Projection (UTM). Digital representation of geographic data, data base and data base management

Models in GIS: Raster and Vector data base, data quality and data standards, data capturing and processing, Raster and Vector base data capturing systems, processing and analyzing techniques, Structures in GIS: Vector data structure, Raster data structure, comparison between Vector and Raster data structures, advantages and disadvantages

Visualization of GIS data: cartography in the context of GIS, digital terracing modeling, spatial analysis, GIS application: computerized mapping, and spatial analysis, major areas of application, Fundamentals of remote sensing: definitions, satellite remote sensing process, electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic spectrum, passive and active sensing,

Methods of Teaching and Learning:

The course work consists of lectures, power point presentations, reading suggested materials, handouts, class discussions and lab work.

Assessment Scheme:

Student’s grade in this course will be determined as follows:

Recommended Reading:

Albrecht Jochen, (2007), Key Concepts and Techniques in GIS, SAGE Publications Ltd, London.

Bernhardsen Tor, (1999), Geographic Information Systems: An Introduction, John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York.

Chrisman Nicholas, R, (1996), Exploring Geographic Information Systems, John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York.

David Bruce, (1996), GIS: A Visual Approach, Santa Fe: Onward Press