Socio-Economic Development

Subject DEVT90045 (2015)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2015.

Credit Points: 12.5
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Semester 1, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 02-Mar-2015 to 31-May-2015
Assessment Period End 26-Jun-2015
Last date to Self-Enrol 13-Mar-2015
Census Date 31-Mar-2015
Last date to Withdraw without fail 08-May-2015


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: A 2-hour seminar per week for 12 weeks.
Total Time Commitment:

170 hours

Prerequisites:

Admission to 097-AB Master of Development Studies or MC-IR Master of International Relations

Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge:
Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Coordinator

Prof John Langmore

Contact

Professor John Langmore

langmore@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

This subject will analyse the contemporary, integrated global crises of poverty, wealth and ecological destruction. It will concentrate on the contribution which economic analysis can make to understanding the issues and to addressing them. Topics to be covered include: the goals of socio-economic policy; the intertwined economic, financial, distributional and ecological crises; the dilemmas of integrating human development with environmental sustainability; neo-liberal economic strategies and their social democratic alternatives; macroeconomic stabilisation policies and their coordination; public finance and the minimisation of tax evasion; external finance for development including official development assistance and innovative sources of finance; population growth, ageing and social protection; conflict resolution and demilitarisation; employment; and global economic governance. The evolution of policies and proposals for innovation will be extensively discussed.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this subject, students will be expected to have:

• Strengthened their understanding of the choices involved in setting goals for development policy and their sense of priorities for national strategy formation;

• Gained a thorough knowledge of the underlying assumptions, intellectual strengths and critiques of neo-liberal economics and of alternatives being advocated and attempted;

• Grown in understanding of the diversity of experience of developing countries through comparative case studies;

• Increased their capacity to discern the political and economic forces driving various approaches to development strategy and of the means through which they work;

• Strengthened their analytical capacity to understand complex issues of national development strategy and to formulate more cost-effective steps towards equitable economic and social development; and

• Be able to write persuasively about conceptual and normative aspects of national and international political, economic, financial and social issues.

• This will be an analytical and applied seminar aiming to enhance understanding of views about national and international development strategies. Each session will include both teaching and small group and whole of class discussion. Students will be encouraged to identify issues which they would like to discuss.

Assessment:

1. A 1000 word essay (20%) Due in the 4th week of semester;

2. A 2000 word essay (40%) Due at the end of the semester;

3. A 2000 word final essay (40%) Due during the examination period.

With permission, students will have the option of completing a 4000 word essay as their final piece of assessment in lieu of the 2 x 2000 word essays (80%) Due during the examination period.

Hurdle Requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 75% of classes in order to qualify to have their written work assessed. Regular participation in class is required.

Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Prescribed Texts:

Anthony Clunies-Ross, David Forsyth and Mozammel Huq, 2009, Development Economics, McGraw-Hill, Maidenhead, Berkshire

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

Students will be expected to grow in capacity for effective participation in class discussion, in small group work and in essay writing through:

  • Undertaking an adequate amount of reading and research about the prescribed topics using appropriate material;
  • Speaking and writing lucidly, relevantly and coherently, using appropriate material;
  • Demonstrating comprehension of the material read and studied for class, and during preparation for essays;
  • Showing evidence of imaginative, creative and principled thought;
  • Identifying the main issues involved in a subject and to explain them comprehensively and effectively;
  • Writing a succinct and clear introduction to an essay and developing the argument in a rigorous, logical and well organised manner;
  • Completing essays with a justified and well expressed conclusion;
  • Writing lucidly, with accurate spelling and grammar.
Related Course(s): Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration (Enhanced)
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: 100 Point Master of Development Studies
150 Point Master of Development Studies
200 Point Master of Development Studies
Development
Development

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