Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
SP50227: Sustainable development livelihoods and wellbeing (formerly EC50146) |
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Masters |
| Period: | Semester 2 |
| Assessment:
| CW 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| |
| Description: | Aims: To provide frameworks for critical analysis and assessment of the micro-foundations of sustainable development. It will review and evaluate concepts of sustainability and the sustainable livelihoods framework and consider how it can be expanded to encompass the broader issue of wellbeing. It will then consider the implications of this for policy in different cultural and political contexts. Learning Outcomes: Students will: * Develop a systematic and critical understanding of the evolution of the concept of sustainability in development. * Develop understanding and be able to critically evaluate the sustainable livelihoods framework from its roots in concepts of entitlement and research on seasonality and vulnerability * Review and evaluate how the the concept of wellbeing extends the livelihoods framework. * Review and investigate the implications of this for policy in different social, cultural and environmental contexts. Skills: Cross-cultural and interpersonal sensitivity (Taught/Facilitated) Comprehensive and scholarly written communication (e.g. essays) (T/F) Effective oral communication (e.g. seminar presentations) (T/F) Ability to select, summarise and synthesis written information from multiple sources (T/F/A) Ability to develop rigorous arguments through precise use of concepts and models (T/F/A) Ability to synthesise multidisciplinary perspectives on the same problem (T/F/A) Ability to select and use appropriate ideas to produce a coherent response to a pre-set question (T/F/A) Ability to produce work to agreed specifications and deadlines (T/F/A) Ability to work independently, without close supervision of guidance (T/F) Ability to work effectively as part of a group or team (T/F). Content: The unit will move through a review of background thinking on sustainable development, reviewing key statements on sustainable development from the 'Club of Rome' to the 'Millennium Ecosystem Assessment'. It will then explore the emergence and evolution of the livelihoods framework which has become a key conceptual foundation of development policy and practice . It will consider the implications of broadening our thinking from livelihoods to 'ways of life' via the concept of wellbeing. The implications of these different frameworks for sustainable public policy will be considered. Finally the unit will apply these different ideas in the exploration of a number of case studies from developed and developing country contexts. Sustainable Development Livelihoods: Entitlements and Vulnerability From Livelihoods to Wellbeing Social and Environmental Change and Resilience Policy: Lifeability and Liveability Policy: Livelihood and Wellbeing Conflicts Case Study: The Crisis in Global Fisheries and Poverty Case Study: Livelihoods, Wellbeing and Migration Case Study: Social Protection Case Study: Agriculture and Rural Development. |