FLKM4310 Struggles for justice and equality in international development, education and sustainabilities Emneplan

This course examines core characteristics of struggles over livelihood, equality and social justice in international development, education, and sustainability, at multiple levels of scale. It centres on the efforts of movements and social groups to achieve social change, including tensions between these and defensive efforts to protect their livelihoods. Case-studies are drawn on to illustrate these tensions, and provide insight into key debates and proposed pathways to transform society.

No prerequisite knowledge required.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student:

• has a thorough overview of theories and approaches to power and inequality.
• has thorough knowledge of the key debates, and tensions, at work in struggles for social change to resist or overcome structural inequalities and injustices.
• has thorough knowledge of the nature and dimensions of these struggles within a Global South - North dynamic.
• has thorough knowledge of and insight into the role of education (in both the Global South and the Global North) in the maintenance of mainstream perspectives about global challenges such as sustainable development, climate change, and poverty.
• has thorough knowledge of and insight into the role of education (in both the Global South and the Global North) in projects to advance transformative visions of sustainable development and social transformation / social change, including system change.

Skills

The student:

• is capable of explaining the dominant and historical roles of education in societies in relation to the reproduction, reform, transformation of inequalities and injustices.
• is capable of analysing mainstream and alternative struggles in the Global South and North about global environmental and climate issues, development and inequity, and sustainable development.
• is capable of analysing current cases-studies, identifying potential causes for inequality and injustice and strategies for their transformation.

General competence

The student:

• has knowledge of how to assess current struggles for more democratic and equal social change, in terms of key social science concepts and processes.
• is capable of explaining and problematising relevant theory in the research field.
• is capable of using and disseminating new knowledge and academic issues relating to education and sustainable development in the Global South and North.

The work and teaching methods used in the course are characterised by lectures and dialogue and discussions, to which the students bring their own different practical experience and academic backgrounds. See the general programme description for further details.

The work and teaching methods used in the course are characterised by lectures and workshop / seminar style dialogue and discussions, to which the students bring their own particular interests and experiences, and diverse academic backgrounds. See the general programme description for further details.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• Students must give a presentation lasting 15-30 minutes (individually or as part of a group) of an article, chapter in a book etc. at a plenary session during the course.
• Students must individually submit a 1-page / approx. 450-word preliminary description of their master’s thesis research topic.
• 80 % attendance requirement (see the programme description for more information).

The purpose of the coursework requirement is to ensure all students begin the work of articulating their master’s research topic, to receive feedback about it, and to support the future preparation of full research project descriptions.

The purpose of the oral presentation is to encourage students to engage in more oral activity and improve their oral presentation skills, and to present the academic content to fellow students and the lecturer(s) in an organised and effective manner. The oral presentation is intended to help the students to acquire the skills specified in the learning outcomes for the course.

The course is assessed on the basis of an individual written home exam over five days, with a scope of 3,500 words +/- 10%.

Resit/rescheduled exam:

Resit/rescheduled exam is organised in the same way as the ordinary exam

In this course, the students will acquire knowledge about the concept of knowledge production, with particular reference to the Global South.

No prerequisite knowledge required.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student:

• has knowledge of the the concept of knowledge production, and accompanying paradigms about what can be known and how we can know about the world.
• has knowledge of the Global North and South dynamics of knowledge production, including decolonial challenges to European universalism.
• has knowledge of the relationship between knowledge, knowledge production, education, and power, at multiple levels of scale.
• has knowledge of the roles of education systems, and other social and institutional processes, in the production of knowledge in and about the Global South.

Skills

The student:

• is capable of discussing and explaining relevant topics in the course, and applying them to the analysis and understanding of diverse examples of knowledge production.
• is capable of discussing and assessing different perspectives on knowledge production and education in the Global South.

General competence

The student:

• is capable of explaining and problematising the concept of knowledge claims about the world, and the role and functions of knowledge production, and education, in terms of international development and sustainabilities.
• is capable of critically assessing different discourses on education and their relationship to development.