Play, movement, nature and outdoor education – Nordic Childhoods Programplan

As this course is a second level course within development studies, it will be organised around four core themes building on Development Studies 1 in Vietnam or Global Forståelse 1 at HiOA:

The Regional Context

The course will start with an introduction to the African experience of development, related to African history, environment, culture and political development. Global influences will be considered, as well as the particular experiences of Ghana. One aim will be to show the many and diverse social and cultural changes that have taken place in the region as a result of political and economic policies and programmes.;

Politics, governance and social movements

This theme will include formal politics, the development and role of the state, and informal politics, the role of individual actors, groups, and different types of activities within civil societies, like social movements, in forging their own views of development, which may be in support of, or against, state policies and programmes. There will be a consideration of different political ideas and understandings of democratization, as well as a critical engagement with the ideas of governance applied to agencies of the state, international actors, NGOs, and locally based organizations.

Environment and social development

This theme will analyse key environmental issues with relation to development processes and different understandings of sustainable development. One central topic will be changes in natural resources, as well as an understanding of an overall political ecological approach will be given in relation to these topics. Processes of migration, changes in population and urbanization are also included. ;

Studying development in the field

Conducting a field study will be a core component of the course. Lectures and activities will be conducted in order to give students a solid foundation in various methodologies (quantitative, qualitative, and participatory), an appreciation of the difficulties, constraints and opportunities, as well as a consideration of their positionality and ethical issues related to doing development research.;

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