AN5006 - Asia Pacific Development: Culture and Globalisation

This subject critically explores the notion and phenomenon of 'development' in Asia-Pacific contexts through an anthropological lens. Practices, problems and processes in social or community-based development and planned culture change raise central anthropological questions about power, identity and agency. The subject will provide students with an understanding of how anthropological approaches inform the study of meanings and concepts associated with modernity and the priorities, policies and practices of development agencies. The subject considers globalisation and transnationalism, international NGO networks, and such issues such as the politics of development knowledge, natural resource development, environment and bio-technology, poverty, labour and the global economy, gender, health and human rights. The subject includes practical workshops on research methods used in development anthropology.

Learning Outcomes

• enhance existing skills in report writing and public presentation of material relevant to country specific development issues;
• acquire the ability to assess the social and cultural impacts of policies and processes associated with globalisation and natural resource development;
• understand complex meanings and concepts associated with the relationship between human development outcomes and the politics, policies and practices of development agencies;
• acquire the ability to critically and professionally evaluate case studies from the Asia-Pacific region concerning development issues and community engagement;
• identify and critically engage at an advanced level with key contemporary theoretical and ideological issues concerning development.

Subject Assessment

• workshop participation and presentation that will include reporting on selected advanced level readings (25%)
• essays (50%)
• research and provide a detailed report on a country specific development issue in a manner reflecting best international practice (25%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.