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EDS271 Introduction to Gender and Development

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:Poul Wisborg

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Limits of class size:60

Course frequency:The course is offered in 2024. It has not been decided whether the course will be offered after 2024.

Nominal workload:

Organised activities (in class): 55 hours.

Individual study and group work: 195 hours.

Total: 250 hours.

Teaching and exam period:Spring Semester

About this course

The course addresses the interdisciplinary field of gender and development with emphasis on an applied and and politically relevant understanding of work, methods and struggles to promote gender equality. It will start by exploring historical changes in gender relations, equality and development. Central concepts and theoretical approaches will be discussed. Next, the course will explore and work with a number of closely related themes, including: the body and care; technology and labour; ecology and environment; power and and processes of political, economic, social and cultural change towards gender equality. Participants gain and create new knowledge through engaging in the class discussions and lectures and working with student-led seminars, writing assignments and the use of literature and other sources.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, participants will have:

Knowledge:

  • Know about and understand central concepts, theories and approaches in the field of gender and development.
  • Know about some central problems and themes related to gender, with emphasis on the field of environment and development.
  • Be aware of and understand diverse contexts of gender relations and gender equality in a global perspective.

Skills:

  • Be able to formulate and analyse questions about gender within the themes and topics addressed in the course.
  • Be able to find and use different sources in a critical and independent manner to gather and share knowledge.
  • To be able to analyse relations of power and politics in struggles for gender equality.

Generell kompetanse:

  • To be able to evaluate, apply and discuss interdisciplinary knowledge about themes, problems, situations and politics related to gender and global development.
  • To be able to articulate and discuss ethical values on questions in gender and development.
  • To be able to propose and evaluate practical measures and political strategies to promote gender equality in diverse settings.
  • Learning activities
    Class discussions, lectures, student-led seminars, group advisory sessions, and work with written assignments and literature.
  • Teaching support
    Educators will convey course content and support participants in applying knowledge, drawing on case studies and their own experience. They will give feed-back to the class in plenary sessions, to groups working on assignments as well as guidance and feed-back on individual writing assignments. Learning activities include training in critical thinking, oral and written presentation and the use of sources. Participants will be advised to use the resources available at the Writing Centre. Outside class hours, educators can be contacted by e-mail or by appointment.
  • Recommended prerequisites
    Bachelor level courses in environment and development studies, such as EDS101, EDS230
  • Assessment method

    Portfolio Assessment

    The portfolio includes:

    • Book Review (1000 to 2000 words). Individual assignment.
    • Term Paper (3000-5000 words). Cooperation between 1 to 3 individuals is permitted.
    • Reflection Note (200-400 words)

    Written assignments submitted to other courses may not be submitted for this course.

    The three written assignments are to be submitted together at the end of the semester.

    Grading: A-F



    Portfolio Grading: Letter grades
  • Examiner scheme
    An external examiner will participate in evaluating the examination design as well as a sample of the submitted portfolios.
  • Mandatory activity

    Two obligatory activities:

    • Participation in a group exercise on concepts and theory. Three hours. (Assessment: Approved/Not approved).
    • Preparation of and participation in a student-led seminar.(Assessment: Approved/Not approved). Unless a valid reason exists, participation in seminars presented by other students is also obligatory.

    Obligatory activities need to be repeated in a future course, if relevant.

  • Notes
    Learning in the course is based on active participation. Participation in lectures, discussions and advisory sessions is strongly encouraged.
  • Teaching hours
    Organised activities: 33 hours of lectures/discussions in class, 16 hours of student-led seminars, 3 hours guidance on written assignments, 3 hours group exercise on theory. Total: 55 hours.
  • Preferential right
    Students at the B-IEDS Programme
  • Admission requirements
    Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse, GSK)