Table of contents

The course is connected to the following study programs

Teaching language

English

Recommended previous knowledge

UT-101, UT-107, UT-113 and UT-114.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • identify and explain central development issues and key development debates in each region
  • find and review relevant literature to discuss particular topics and contexts and to apply cross-regional comparison and analysis
  • use theories, analytical concepts and social science methods to acquire knowledge of specific countries and regions
  • recognise how development processes are marked by interaction between the local, national and global level
  • examine and discuss uniformities and variation between countries and among groups in the same region
  • use specific cases to discuss how dynamics of development is marked by contextual factors (for example cultural, political, geographical, historical, social, economic, demographic, ecological, and/or religious)

Contents

This course provides students with an advanced introduction to global development at various scales in different regional contexts (Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe). The course emphasises the importance of different regional contexts and cross-regional comparison in social analysis. More specifically, it will enable students to discern how people and places in the Global South give shape to and are shaped by the dynamics of development trajectories. Presenting perspectives both at a macro and micro level, the course specifically aims to facilitate critical discussion of the relationship between structure and agency in global development.

Teaching and learning methods

The course is designed as both a lecture-based course and a reading course. Lectures will have different regional and thematic focus. Students will read and work with self-selected literature, also as part of preparing for the final thesis work. There will be supervised seminars with group presentations and discussions where students will be expected to do a peer review of their work. The estimated workload is 270 hours.

Examination requirements

Compulsory participation in group work. Further information can be found in Canvas at the start of the semester.

Examinations

Individual semester assignment (4000 words). Graded A-F.

Student evaluation

The person responsible for the course decides, in cooperation with student representative, the form of student evaluation and whether the course is to have a midway or end of course evaluation in accordance with the quality system for education, chapter 4.1.

Reduction of Credits

This course’s contents overlap with the following courses. A reduction of credits will occur if one of these courses is taken in addition:

Course Reduction of Credits
UT-112 – Introduction to Spanish and Latin-American Studies: History, Development and Society. 3
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 15, 2026 2:48:29 PM