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STV2310 - Politics and Development

Course content

The extreme problems of human rights, uneven growth, inequality and poverty in post-colonial countries are often about power and governance. Although much of the dilemmas are international and not just confined to the Global South, change presupposes effective politics. And such politics in turn rest with collective action among people and organisations that can rarely come together but on the local and national level. This course focuses therefore on the problems of power and governance as articulated in the post-colonial countries themselves. The aim is to provide the participants with a basis for critical and independent analysis of such issues in both working life and in more specialised studies on the master level. The means to this end is to discuss theories and arguments that relate to the most central themes such as state-building, the politics of resources and capital accumulation, state-society relations, political cleavages, clientelism, popular organisation, democratisation and peace building, and international support for the latter.

Learning outcomes

The actively participating student will be knowledgeable about the discussion among scholars and experts of central themes and theories of how power and governance relate to problems of development in the post-colonial world. The student shall be able to recall and compare the major theories and concepts, apply them in colloquium discussions (study questions will be made available during the course) and account for their ability in a written exam. This is to foster the students’ capacity to carry out independent analysis in both working life and in more specialised studies on the master level. Students in political science who plan to relate their forthcoming master studies to politics in developing countries are strongly recommended to take this course.

Admission

Students at UiO must apply for courses in StudentWeb.

International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

The course is open for independent students. Please contact The Faculty of Social Sciences

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisites

Higher Education Entrance Qualification.

Teaching

15 lectures will be given.

In addition to the lectures, all students are encouraged to work together in colloquiums. Colloquiums are a very important supplement to the lectures. Here you can discuss the syllabus and address academic issues. You will be given a list of exercises by the department, but you decide for yourselves what you want to work on. The colloquiums are organized by the students themselves, and should consist of 4 - 6 persons. Further information about colloquiums can be found in Fronter.

Exam information

A four hour final written exam.

Language of examination

It is possible to submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Explanations and appeals

See here for information about the regulations for justification of examination results and appeals .

Possibility of make-up exams and re-takes

You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam .

Withdrawing from exams and limits on re-takes

A student can sit for this exam up to 3 times. If a student wishes to withdraw from the exam, s/he must do this in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the first day of the exam. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit for the exam.

Exam options for students with special needs

Students may use a dictionary during the exam. The dictionary is to be handed in to the reception at the Department of Political Science (seventh floor, Eilert Sundts hus) at the latest two days before the day of the exam.

Students may apply for access to alternative exam resources or exam forms on the basis of chronic illness and/or special needs that create a marked disadvantage to other students in the exam situation. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.

Evaluation of this course

Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. As a student at the University of Oslo you will therefore be asked to participate in various types of evaluation of our courses, facilities and services. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, in-depth evaluation of this course, a so called "periodic evaluation".

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