Subject Area: Development Studies

This course is offered as the core course in the BA Major in Development Studies and brings together the knowledge acquired in the previous two years of Development Studies. The course exposes to and develops in students a more sophisticated understanding of the current development and environment issues affecting the well-being of local communities in Australia and developing countries. It provides students with the theoretical background as well as a set of important tools and case studies to understand and tackle important environment - development challenges. ARTS3750 Development, Community and Environment integrates social, economic and environmental aspects of development and environmental issues, and the concepts are discussed through the lens of sustainable development in a societal perspective, and are presented as contested entities because of the multiplicity of diverse and at times diametrically opposed stakeholder interests. The approach therefore eschews the “one right way” approach to development and environment management in favour of an approach based on understanding the diverse and complex societal contexts in which development and environment managers operate. These approaches are illustrated throughout by means of case studies.

After a short introduction, which sets up the conceptual framework of the course, the seminar program is divided into two inter-connected Modules:

Module 1. Framework for Development, Community and Environment: Sustainable development is the central concept in this course. The course will engage with some of the critical social science concepts to help understanding important environmental and development issues, viz. a) ownership and control of resources; b) decentralisation and equity, c) community participation, d) impacts of development on society and environment. The discussion will give specific theoretical frames and logically lead to a discussion on various case studies.

Module 2. Issues and case studies in Development, Community and Environment: While practical examples are used throughout ARTS3750 to illustrate theoretical concepts in contemporary development and environmental management, this part of the course focuses on key issues of Development, Community and Environment, particularly in Australia and some developing countries illustrated by relevant case study examples.

ARTS3750 is designed in a way that encourages students to take ‘deep approach’ to learning. This includes a seminar/lecture on selected topics followed by in-class group discussion and group presentation. During the semester students are encouraged to interact with their peers through blackboard and other means. Time will also be allocated in the seminars/lectures for students to discuss their ideas, clarify concepts, identify problems, seek solutions to problems and offer constructive suggestions to each other. Students are expected to attend all seminars, participate fully in class discussion and group work, and keep up with the required readings.