rural livelihoods in the global south (f8017s) - University of Sussex

develop and strengthen a wide range of intellectual and transferable skills, for example
through individual and group presentations, critique and debate.
Detailed reading and preparation for the weekly meetings is essential and attendance at
these sessions is an obligatory requirement of the module. Students are expected to
spend 10-15 hours per week preparing for the meetings, completing assignments and
doing their Learning Diaries. All students will be asked to write a one page synopsis
on allocated readings each week. The synopsis should summarise the article, and
present some of your own thoughts about the reading. These should be posted up on the
StudyDirect Forum by 9am on the Wednesday before class.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module successful students will have:
Acquired knowledge and understanding
(i) of the varied nature of rural livelihood systems in developing countries.
Demonstrated:
(ii) an ability to critically assess the impact of different agents of change on
livelihoods.
(iii) Knowledge and understanding of current debates in rural and social
development, and policies to promote development.
(iv) an ability to formulate academic arguments and to present them in written and
oral form.
Learnt to:
(v) Reflect critically and continuously upon their learning: identifying strengths and
building upon them; identifying weaknesses and addressing them throughout the
module
Assessment
The module is assessed by a 7000 word learning diary. Further details of this can be found
at the back of this document. We will have a ‘Learning Diary Surgery’ in the middle of the
term to discuss in more details what is expected. The deadline for the assessment can be
found online.
Resources
The main source of reading material is the Main Library, although most journals are
available electronically. Any items that are unavailable in the Main Library will be placed on
Study Direct. (If you are unable to locate anything on this reading list, please let me
know ASAP so I can put a copy onto StudyDirect.) In addition the library of the Institute
of Development Studies may be used with a letter of introduction, but students should
always check first for materials in the Main Library. Undergraduates are not allowed to
borrow materials from IDS, although they can consult materials.
Rural Livelihoods in the Global South, 2013 - F8017 3