Teaching starts Spring

Language of instruction Norwegian

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, students will be able to:

• analyse and understand different aid strategies in an economical, political, historical and ideological perspective.
• acquire knowledge and understanding of the various actors involved in aid and different types of development cooperation, their strategies and practice.
• analyse and understand the connections between aid and development, the possibilities and limitations of aid in terms of promoting economic growth and development.
• understand the connections between aid, political development and conflict which mutually influence each other.
• understand how aid and development attend to the dimension of gender and women´s rights.
• understand different causes of conflict, both on micro and macro level, and describe different approaches to the concept of conflict.

Course contents

The course provides a general introduction to the history of aid and the international aid system, and to the role of bilateral and non-governmental organisations in aid and development work. Different aid strategies, target groups and agendas - both nationally and internationally - are presented and discussed. The course focuses on central aid discourses related to recipient responsibility and ownership, technology transfer, strategies for poverty reduction and the development of good governance with the fight against corruption as a main objective.

The second part of the course provides an understanding of reasons for conflict on a local, national and global level. Examples are given on social, ethnic and political conflict, and on resource- and environmental conflicts in connection with sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Gender, rights, and cultural dimensions of aid are also discussed. The course introduces aid as intervention and remedy in development processes and for conflict resolution.

Teaching methods and workload Lectures, group work and seminars.

Examination requirement Approved compulsory assignment.

Assessment methods and criteria

A 5 hour written examination, graded A-F.

Type of course Theoretical

Level of course First cycle.

Year of study

First year of the study programme.

Name of lecturer/contact person

Hanne Haaland and Kjell Havnevik