Global Development Politics - POL00106M
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2026-27 |
Module aims
This module outlines the emerging, and contested, themes in the study
of global development politics. It will
engage students with a
broader range of contentions and trade-offs between environment,
society and
economy.
Beyond its thematic objectives, the
module aims to equip students with critical skills that are vital in
the
professional world. Students will be assessed based on a 15
to 20-minute podcast (to be submitted as an
audio file and a
script) which will reflect on one key module theme. They will produce
a public-facing output
intended for an informed, but non-academic
audience, that draws on academic and policy literature, and
presents their thoughts in a clear, concise manner verbally, much like
they will have to do in their professional
and civic lives going
forward. The podcast format helps them hone verbal communication
skills in addition to
the writing skills which are required to
produce a clear, accessible script for the podcast. It also produces
an
output which they can share or reference with future employers
and stakeholders. Both the output and the skills
that students
learn from it reflect the module'sFreirean understanding of education
as part of a wider project ofcritical thinking and societal transformation.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students will know:
- The historical evolution of ideas about and practices of (global) development;
- The shifting balance of power that frames the contemporary global order and international political economy;
- The emerging role of the Global South, and the agency of Global South countries in shaping ideas of development;
- Key global challenges facing the world today;
- The social processes that underpin emerging global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss; and
- The politics of framing, negotiating and addressing key global challenges across social, environmental and economic domains.
Module content
Week 1. Bridging North and South: The connected politics of global development
Week 2. The New International Economic Order, Washington Consensus, Beijing Consensus and beyond
Week 3. BRICS and its implications for global development
Week 4. Southernisation of development
Week 5. Global poverty
Week 6. Polycrisis and global development
Week 7. Climate justice
Week 8. Conservation in the Anthropocene
Week 9. Transforming value chains in the 21st century
Week 10. Sustainable Development Goals and beyond
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100.0 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100.0 |
Module feedback
Students will receive written timely feedback on their formative
assessment. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their
feedback during the module tutor’s feedback and guidance hours.
Students will receive written feedback on their summative
assessment no later than 25 working days; and the module tutor will
hold a specific session to discuss feedback, which students can also
opt to attend. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their
feedback during the module tutor’s regular feedback and guidance hours.
Indicative reading
Horner, R. and D. Hulme (2020) From international to global
development: New geographies of 21 st century
development.
Development and Change 50(2): 347-378. DOI: 10.1111/dech.12379
Kothari, A., Salleh, A., Escobar, A., Demaria, F., Acosta, A.
(Eds.), Pluriverse: a post-development dictionary.
Tulika Books.
Krauss, J.E., Jiménez Cisneros, A., Requena-i-Mora, M. (2022)
Mapping Sustainable Development Goals 8, 9,
12, 13 and 15 through
a decolonial lens: falling short of ‘transforming our world’.
Sustainability Science 17,
1855–1872. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-022-01112-3
Mawdsley. E. 2018. The ‘Southernisation’ of Development? Asia
Pacific Viewpoint 59(2): 173-185.
doi:10.1111/apv.12192
Pailey, R. (2021) De-centering the “White Gaze” of Development.
Development and Change 51(3): 729-745.
DOI: 10.1111/dech.12550
Quijano, A. (2007) Coloniality and modernity/rationality.
Cultural Studies, 21 (2-3), pp. 168-178,
http://doi.org/10.1080/09502380601164353
Roy, I. and S. Hickey (Forthcoming) Global Development Politics.
Routledge