International Development: Global Trends via Local Cases Perspectives

About

As the world changes and becomes more interconnected, there is an increasing need for experts who know how to tackle global challenges. In this course we focus on the Global South, i.e. the economically disadvantaged regions, and how people can empower themselves to improve their well-being and tackle the inequalities and global challenges we are facing. From a global perspective we will discuss the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Students will emerge with new knowledge and skills for critical reflection and analysis within the field of international and global development practices.
Course description

The traditional North-South divide in international development is losing relevance as global challenges such as resource scarcity, newly emerged inequalities, food security threats, global warming, migration issues, and armed conflicts now affect both developed and developing regions.

Furthermore, globalisation has given rise to complex societal issues that require collaboration among diverse actors, leading to multi-stakeholder cooperation. However, this approach assumes that assembling the right stakeholders will automatically yield solutions, neglecting power imbalances and diverse interests that can lead to exclusion or domination of less powerful actors. Despite increasing collaboration, many development actors still view social change as a linear, controllable process. Organisations are now assessed based on their performance and value for money rather than good intentions. However, the intricate and unpredictable nature of development challenges calls for new and innovative ways to understand, manage, and evaluate development processes and outcomes.

We will zoom in on cross-cutting phenomenon like migration, conflicts, digitalization and newly emerging inequalities as key challenges that shapes current state and present the situation through local cases of Kenya, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Ukraine, Indonesia, etc.

The Centre for International Cooperation at VU Amsterdam emphasizes an integrated, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approach to global challenges, collaborating closely with VU faculties and international partners since 1955. It draws on the expertise of various experts engaged in coordinating and executing capacity-building, education, research, and outreach programs with partners in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Target group

Beginner and advanced Bachelor's in arts and humanities, social sciences, journalism and information, business, administration and law. Basic knowledge in international relations, world history, economics and basis of law are desirable. Also, applicable to junior staff and working professionals.

Course aim

At the end of the course:

• Participants understand the complexities and key trends and debates that have historically shaped the sector of international development cooperation;
• Participants can recognize and critically reflect upon the concept of development and debate their position in international and global development practices;
• Participants are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the SDGs;
• Participants can identify different forms of power and describe how power relates to inequality and shapes processes of exclusion and inclusion;
• Participants understand the importance and can apply insights of local perspectives in thinking about international development;
• Participants can understand how to select and critically review the literature, extract key messages of different learning material (lecturers, literature) and share their insights via a blog with their peers.

Fee info

Students, PhD candidates and employees of VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC or an Aurora Network Partner €765 Students and PhD candidates at partner universities of VU Amsterdam €1035 Students and PhD candidates at non-partner universities of VU Amsterdam €1140 Professionals €1360