DEVT 2101 - Empowerment & Development: Community & Gender

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2020

This course investigates crucial interconnections between gender, community and development, examining the ways in which community participation and gender influence development policies, processes and programs; and the extent to which development, gender relations and hierarchies, and communities may be transformed in the process. It examines key concepts and theoretical frameworks of development with a particular focus on the intersection of development terms such as community, participation, sustainability, gender, equality & empowerment, in light of current issues in development discourse and critical analysis of development practice and policy. These include the use of key concepts and ideals such as empowerment, gender equality, sustainable development, as well as central issues in development practice and policy such as the interaction between poverty and gender, the empowerment of women through work and microfinance/credit, the proposed empowerment of communities (and countries) through the `girl effect?, the complexities of corporate community development, the practice of tourism (volunteer/cultural) as sustainable community development, the issue of gender violence, legislation and human rights at the level of local communities, and an analysis of the Sustainable Development Goals from the standpoint of gender and the community. The course takes an actor-oriented perspective, grounding applied practices in macro-economic, historical and socio-political contexts of local people's development experiences. It privileges the ways in which development beneficiaries perceive, understand and feel about the imposition of development and culture change and to what extent they can gain knowledge and/or power over this process through the analysis of several community-based case studies. The course also looks at some of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are needed to seek practical solutions in these settings, exploring various participatory field methods concerned with generating shared information, ensuring community empowerment and participation and in eliciting community/ local views.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code DEVT 2101
    Course Empowerment & Development: Community & Gender
    Coordinating Unit Anthropology and Development Studies
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites At least 12 units of Level I undergraduate study
    Incompatible DEVT 2001 or DEVT 3001 & ANTH 2021 or ANTH 3021
    Course Description This course investigates crucial interconnections between gender, community and development, examining the ways in which community participation and gender influence development policies, processes and programs; and the extent to which development, gender relations and hierarchies, and communities may be transformed in the process. It examines key concepts and theoretical frameworks of development with a particular focus on the intersection of development terms such as community, participation, sustainability, gender, equality & empowerment, in light of current issues in development discourse and critical analysis of development practice and policy. These include the use of key concepts and ideals such as empowerment, gender equality, sustainable development, as well as central issues in development practice and policy such as the interaction between poverty and gender, the empowerment of women through work and microfinance/credit, the proposed empowerment of communities (and countries) through the `girl effect?, the complexities of corporate community development, the practice of tourism (volunteer/cultural) as sustainable community development, the issue of gender violence, legislation and human rights at the level of local communities, and an analysis of the Sustainable Development Goals from the standpoint of gender and the community.

    The course takes an actor-oriented perspective, grounding applied practices in macro-economic, historical and socio-political contexts of local people's development experiences. It privileges the ways in which development beneficiaries perceive, understand and feel about the imposition of development and culture change and to what extent they can gain knowledge and/or power over this process through the analysis of several community-based case studies. The course also looks at some of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are needed to seek practical solutions in these settings, exploring various participatory field methods concerned with generating shared information, ensuring community empowerment and participation and in eliciting community/ local views.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Alison Dundon

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

     1. Secure and accurate understanding of the nature and theories of development at the community and/or grassroots level as well as the main critiques of development from a gender-based perspective.

    2. Knowledge of and insight into key issues and concerns raised about the nature of development and development studies from a critical perspective.

    3. Ability to understand and apply key theoretical approaches to contemporary development contexts and situations.

    4. Capacity to critically evaluate central themes, propositions and concepts in development studies, particularly those concerned with community development and gender-based development.

    5. Commitment to an academically rigorous comprehension of the diversity of community and participatory development contexts, policies and practices.

    6. Sensitivity and ability to work collaboratively in teams as well as individually in a learning and research intensive environment.

    7. Understanding of and commitment to continuous learning and research into development policies and programs, and acknowledgement of specific cultural and social issues in global development programs and policies.

    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1,2
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    3.4
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    6
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    5
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    7
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Essential and Supplementary Readings are available online at the course MyUni site as listed in the Course Outline. There is also a detailed set of instructions and requirements for each assessment item and associated criteria marking sheet, including essay questions and report requirements. 
    Recommended Resources
    For those who wish to read beyond the essential readings for each week or for use in developing and researching assessments, supplementary readings have also been suggested for each week and will be available on MyUni.
    Online Learning
    Lectures will be recorded each week and made available on MyUni. Course lecture PowerPoints and additional notes or references will also be made available on MyUni after the relevant lecture. The PowerPoints only refer to the main points or issues raised in the lectures and are not a substitute for attending and/or listening to recorded lectures. Essay questions will also made available on MyUni as will any adjustments made to lecture and tutorial times or locations (or cancellations), and other announcements.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    Course work is made up of three components: lectures, workshops and assessment items. Attendance at, and participation in, workshops is essential as is completion of all assessment requirements. Delivery of lectures will be based on a flexible format and may be delivered either face-to-face in the lecture hall, or pre-recorded each week and made available on MyUni. Components of pre-recorded lectures will also be integrated into workshops, for discussion and debate. These three integrated components are central for learning and development in this course.

    Lectures: 
    There is a one hour lecture each week in this course, which is essential to your successful completion of the course. These lectures (whether pre-recorded, discussed in workshops or face-to-face) introduce and examine the central themes of the week’s topic and the information that you receive is vital for your participation in workshops as well as the successful completion of assessment requirements. In this course, we approach lectures as interactive spaces of learning and engagement with key issues raised in the course and as essential to the assessment items.

    Workshops
    Students are required to attend a two hour workshop each week. Attendance at and participation in these workshops on a weekly basis is a primary requirement of this course. There are essential readings set for each workshop beginning from Week One, which are available on MyUni. These readings are designed to complement the material debated and discussed in the lectures and are essential for participation in the workshops. All students are expected to have read each week’s essential reading/s for the workshop. For those who wish to read further, supplementary readings have also been suggested for each week.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.


    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements. Students are expected to spend twelve hours per week on each course. In DEVT 2101, the 12 hours of required work are as follows:

    Contact Hours (3 Hours)
    Lectures: 1 hour per week
    Workshop: 2 hours per week

    Research, reading and preparation for tutorials and assessment
    Workshop preparation: between 3-4 hours per week
    Preparation for assignments and reading supplementary readings: 5-7 hours per week (average)
    Learning Activities Summary

    Weekly Course Structure

    Week 1 Introduction: Words make Worlds

    Week 2 Community, Participation & Development 

    Week 3 Gender & Development

    Week 4 Empowerment & Equality

    Week 5 The Girl Effect

    Week 6 Volunteering & Voluntourism

    Week 7 Microfinance & Microcredit

    Week 8 Mining & Community Development

    Week 9 Independent Study

    Week 10 Community Development & Gender Violence

    Week 11 Development @ Happiness & Well-Being

    Specific Course Requirements
    Students are required to attend a two hour workshop each week. Attendance at and participation in these on a weekly basis is a primary requirement of this course. Each student is required to attend a minimum number of EIGHT workshops out of a total of TEN workshops. Students who do not attend the minimum number of workshops, without just cause and/or medical/counselling certification, will receive 0% for the workshop participation mark. Students are also required to complete and submit an 1000 word poster; a 2000 word report or essay; and a quiz.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    There are four components of assessment for this course:
    20% - Quiz (15 questions)
    40% - Report/ Essay (2000 words)
    30% - Poster (1000 words)
    10% - Workshop participation

    Modified arrangements have been made to assessments and the details provided here reflect recent updates.
    1. Report/essay - now 50% weighting
    2. Poster - replaced with workshop journal - still 30% weighting
    3. Workshop participation - no longer being assessed.

    Assessment Related Requirements
    Students are required to attend a two hour workshop each week. Attendance at and participation in these on a weekly basis is a primary requirement of this course. Each student is required to attend a minimum number of EIGHT workshops out of a total of TEN workshops. Students who do not attend the minimum number of workshops, without just cause and/or medical/counselling certification, will receive 0% for the workshop participation mark.
    Assessment Detail

    No information currently available.

    Submission
    Assignments are to be submitted online via the Course MyUni site. Please see the Course Coordinator as early as possible if you think that you may not be able to complete your assignments by the due date. There will be no extensions for written work without adequate documentation (such as a doctor’s or counselling certificate) as set out in the MACA form & process (Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment). Late assignments will be penalised at 2% per day. According to Faculty policy, essays more than 7 days late will be graded as 0%. Failure to submit any written work will result in an FNS grade (Failure No Submission). Please see link for further information
    http://arts.adelaide.edu.au/docs/Current-students-MACA-quick-reference-guide.pdf.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.