Sociology of Development

Logistics

• Classes are scheduled on Mondays from 16.00-18.30

• Starting from today (15-8) until 7-11-2011• Room 2• Large group:– OGM & SW&D

Building blocks of the FAS programs:

ProgramOGM/SW&D

GE

PSPCore curriculum

Pure OGM/SW&D

General Education

• Sociology of Development is part of the General Education Curriculum

• GE is meant for all FAS programs!

Sociology of Development

• 4 ECTS• 27.5 contact hours (classes)• 84.5 self study

What’s the module all about?

• Science of society, social structures, patterns of society and understanding human and social development

• Social theories • Theories of Social Change• Focus on ‘Development’

Area of focus Human and Social development

Themes:Sociological conceptual development: Focus:

1. Awakening of the Sociological Imagination 1 7. Perspectives on Development

2. Awakening of the Sociological Imagination 2 8. Structures of inequality

3. Changing patterns of society 9. Social Change in the 21st century

4. Sociology in context: islandness, the uniqueness of the Caribbean and Aruba

10. The future of development: indicators, trends and scenarios

5. The self, interaction and socialization 11. Challenges and opportunities for development (the case of Aruba)

6. Culture and Identity

Learning objectives (1):

1. Students will be introduced to the discipline of sociology, core sociological concepts, different paradigms, social theories and theories of social change and apply these for the grasping, understanding and articulation of social and cultural phenomena.

2. The ‘Sociological imagination’ of the students will be awakened and trained to pinpoint and study actualities, apply social theories for the understanding of these and distillate emerging social changes in different fields of society and contexts.

Learning objectives (2)

3. Students will be introduced to the concepts of identity and diversity in the context of culture.

4. Students will be introduced to the contested concept of development and its many meanings and the role value judgments play in development.

5. Students will be introduced to the different areas of development.

Learning objectives (3)

6. Students will acquire a jargon and develop conceptual thinking specifically in the area of human and social development, and will be introduced to the Human Development and Capability Approach and the concepts of capability, functionings, agency, freedom and well-being

7. Students will be introduced to the concepts of sustainability, social action and civic participation in relation to development.

Learning objectives (4)

8. Students will analyze Aruba and its development in terms of challenges and opportunities.

9. Students will be introduced to some basic indicators of development in order to understand and monitor developmental issues.

10.Students will acquire some core future thinking skills in order to think about alternative paths for development (skills such as understanding the difference between short term and long term thinking and learning to work with indicators, trends and scenarios).

Evaluation devices:

• Midterm: 35 % (units 1-6)• Final Exam: 65 % (everything)

Working methods:• Theory, practice, assignments, discussions etc.• Bring actualities in the class• You can actively contribute to this!

Literature: 2 readers!

Wiki

Class policies

• Student attendance: 80% rule. • Be on time!• Read, study and prepare• No mobile use/no pinging in class!

Contact Lecturer

• nadia.dresscher@ua.aw• Room CEC #9