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PO203-30 Politics of International Development

Department
Politics & International Studies
Level
Undergraduate Level 2
Module leader
Benjamin Richardson
Credit value
30
Module duration
20 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

This module is about what international development means, how it comes about, and what kinds of life it makes possible.

The first half of the module (Weeks 1-10) will unpack the different ways in which 'development' has been theorised. In doing this, it provides a chronological overview of key intellectual interventions and how they responded to - and informed - 'real world' changes.

The second half (Weeks 11-20) will build upon this foundation to explore some of the central actors of international development, namely: international organisations, states, global corporations and civil society. It then considers how these actors influence the policies of international development in four areas: foreign aid, conditional cash transfers, microfinance and remittances.

Module aims

This module aims to:
Introduce you to issues pertaining to the politics of development;
Provide you with an overview of the literature in this field;
Encourage you to sift through relevant materials, make an argument, and defend it by presenting your views in seminars and written work;
Provide a space in seminars for critical thinking on the politics of development.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

tbc

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • You should be familiar with the main theoretical debates and key substantive actors and issues central to the politics of development;
  • You should be able to identify different development trajectories in particular parts of the world;
  • You should be able to critically interrogate development policy and its underlying intellectual assumptions;
  • You should be able to review existing literature on international development and conduct research-oriented investigations;
  • You should be able to present your ideas in a coherent and rigorous manner through your written work.
Indicative reading list

tbc

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

You should be familiar with the main theoretical debates and key substantive actors and issues central to the politics of international development;
You should be able to identify different development trajectories in particular parts of the world;
You should be able to critically interrogate development policy and its underlying intellectual assumptions;
You should be able to review existing literature on international development and conduct research-oriented investigations;
You should be able to present your ideas in a coherent and rigorous manner – both verbally in seminars, and through your written work.

Transferable skills

The module provides students with opportunities to acquire or develop the following key skills:

Analytical skills
Independent and critical thinking
Cogent writing and considered dialogue
Intercultural awareness
Written and verbal communication skills
Skills in academic practice
Awareness of, and sensitivity to, diversity
Educational self-awareness skills
Skills in the distillation and application of complex information and ideas

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 22 sessions of 1 hour (7%)
Seminars 20 sessions of 1 hour (7%)
Private study 258 hours (86%)
Total 300 hours
Private study description

tbc

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.

Assessment group A2
Weighting Study time
Book review 25% 25 hours
Policy review 25% 25 hours
Research essay 50% 50 hours
Feedback on assessment

Written feedback

Courses

This module is Core optional for:

  • UPOA-M16A Undergraduate Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of M16A Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of M16A Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of M16A Politics and International Studies
  • Year 2 of UPOA-M168 Undergraduate Politics and International Studies with Chinese
  • Year 2 of UPOA-M169 Undergraduate Politics and International Studies with Chinese (3 year)

This module is Optional for:

  • UECA-3 Undergraduate Economics 3 Year Variants
    • Year 2 of L100 Economics
    • Year 2 of L100 Economics
    • Year 2 of L100 Economics
  • UECA-4 Undergraduate Economics 4 Year Variants
    • Year 2 of LM1H Economics, Politics & International Studies with Study Abroad
    • Year 2 of LM1H Economics, Politics & International Studies with Study Abroad
  • UECA-LM1D Undergraduate Economics, Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of LM1D Economics, Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of LM1D Economics, Politics and International Studies
  • UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
    • Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
  • Year 2 of UPOA-M100 Undergraduate Politics
  • UPOA-M16A Undergraduate Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of M16A Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of M16A Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of M16A Politics and International Studies
  • Year 2 of UPOA-M169 Undergraduate Politics and International Studies with Chinese (3 year)
  • Year 2 of UPOA-M162 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and Quantitative Methods
  • UPHA-V7MW Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law

This module is Unusual option for:

  • UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
    • Year 2 of V7MR Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major)
    • Year 2 of V7MR Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major)
    • Year 2 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
    • Year 2 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
    • Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
  • UPHA-V7MW Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law

This module is Core option list A for:

  • UECA-LM1D Undergraduate Economics, Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of LM1D Economics, Politics and International Studies
    • Year 2 of LM1D Economics, Politics and International Studies

This module is Option list A for:

  • Year 2 of UPOA-M168 Undergraduate Politics and International Studies with Chinese
  • Year 2 of UPOA-M169 Undergraduate Politics and International Studies with Chinese (3 year)
  • Year 2 of UPOA-ML13 Undergraduate Politics and Sociology
  • UPOA-M163 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and French
    • Year 2 of M163 Politics, International Studies and French
    • Year 3 of M163 Politics, International Studies and French
  • UPOA-M164 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and German
    • Year 2 of M164 Politics, International Studies and German
    • Year 3 of M164 Politics, International Studies and German
  • UPOA-M166 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and Hispanic Studies
    • Year 2 of M166 Politics, International Studies and Hispanic Studies
    • Year 3 of M166 Politics, International Studies and Hispanic Studies
  • UPOA-M165 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and Italian
    • Year 2 of M165 Politics, International Studies and Italian
    • Year 3 of M165 Politics, International Studies and Italian

This module is Option list B for:

  • Year 4 of UESA-H311 MEng Mechanical Engineering
  • UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
    • Year 2 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
    • Year 2 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)

This module is Option list C for:

  • UHIA-VM11 Undergraduate History and Politics
    • Year 2 of VM11 History and Politics
    • Year 2 of VM11 History and Politics
    • Year 2 of VM11 History and Politics

This module is Option list D for:

  • UHIA-VM11 Undergraduate History and Politics
    • Year 2 of VM11 History and Politics
    • Year 2 of VM11 History and Politics
    • Year 2 of VM11 History and Politics
  • Year 2 of UHIA-VM13 Undergraduate History and Politics (with a term in Venice)
  • UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
    • Year 2 of V7MR Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major)
    • Year 2 of V7MR Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major)

This module is Option list E for:

  • UPHA-V7MW Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law