GV344-Culture and Development in Africa

Module Provider: Geography and Environmental Science
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2020/1

Module Convenor: Dr Yaw Adjei-Amoako

Email: y.adjei-amoako@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module explores the relationship between culture and development in the context of sub-Saharan Africa from theoretical and policy perspectives. Students analyse key social, cultural and development processes and contemporary issues affecting Africa at a range of geographical scales.

Aims:

This module aims to examine the concepts of culture and development in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa from both theoretical and policy perspectives. The course critically engages with key social, cultural and development processes and debates at a range of geographical scales, including the global, national, community, household and individual levels.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On completion of this Module it is expected that a student will be able to:



• Describe and analyse a range of socio-cultural and development issues and debates in contemporary African societies

• Critically analyse the cultural and development processes that lead to the marginalisation of particular social groups in a range of contexts in sub-Saharan Africa

• Critically evaluate research on postcolonial and development geographie s within African contexts

• Critically evaluate policy approaches to culture and development in Africa

• Demonstrate research skills and a critical engagement with contemporary cultural development issues in Africa through planning and writing a project proposal.

Additional outcomes:

The module also aims to encourage the development of skills of critical reading and analysis and proposal writing skills. This will be achieved through students’ individual reading, research and preparation of a project proposal and contributions to seminars.

Outline content:

The module examines the concepts of culture and development in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa from both theoretical and policy perspectives. The course will explore the ways that culture and identity intersect with development processes at a range of geographical scales, including the global, national, community, household and individual levels. Students will analyse the social, cultural and development processes that lead to the marginalisation of particular social groups in contemporary African societies, including gender relations, childhood and youth, race and postcolonial legacies, sexualities and disability. These processes will be examined through an analysis of the cultural dimensions of a range of development issues in Africa, including HIV, access to education, human rights and cultural practices, land access and rural spaces, and cities and urbanisation.

Global context:

This module focuses on culture and development in sub-Saharan Africa. It analyses the ways that international development and global human rights discourses and practices affect the everyday lives of people in diverse African contexts.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

This is a 20 credit module, which means that it is intended to occupy you for 200 hours of work: background reading, seminar preparation, preparation for proposal and writing, revision and sitting the examination. The workload you should expect might be as follows:

- 20 contact hours in formal teaching sessions that normally include a 1-2 hour lecture each week, discussions, videos and a guest lecture.

- 32.5 hours engaged in reading and note taking fro m ‘essential reading lists’ for each week

- 37 hours background reading for lectures/seminars

- 50 hours preparation and development proposal writing

- 50 hours exam preparation/revision

- 2 hours proposal writing workshop

- 2 hours seminar

- 2 hours tutorials

- 1.5 hours examination (Summer Term)

The module will be taught thr ough a combination of lectures, seminars and video material.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		20
Seminars		10
Tutorials		2
Guided independent study:		168
Total hours by term		200
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written exam	50
Written assignment including essay	50

Summative assessment- Examinations:

 A 2-hour exam taken during the examination period in the Summer term. Students answer two questions.

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Coursework (50%): A 3000 word proposal for a development project or programme in sub-Saharan Africa (see Formative assessment for details) or for a research project focusing on social and cultural aspects of development in sub-Saharan Africa.

Formative assessment methods:

Seminar discussions of preparatory reading; activities and workshop discussions about developing a project proposal. The project proposal may focus either on a development project or programme that relates to social and cultural aspects of development in sub-Saharan Africa or on a research project relating to social and cultural aspects of development in sub-Saharan Africa.

Penalties for late submission:

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day[1] (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
A mark of 40% overall

Reassessment arrangements:

Re-submission of coursework in August/September

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 4 May 2020