The presence of African background communities in Australia has been accompanied by the emergence of African studies in the Australian context. This unit (ASS2028) seeks to engage students in both local and global analysis of development and social change as they relate to contemporary Africa. It situates Africa's 'developmental trajectory amongst those of other developing world regions. It provides a base to critically explore various dimensions of development in Africa as a whole, particular regional blocs and particular countries. The unit also explores past and present trends in Africa's socioeconomic affairs in light of global and regional security and natural resource access and exploitation. Students will consider the salience of local communities' engagement with socioeconomic empowerment in light of changing North-South actors and their influence in the global development space.
Unit details
Location:
Remote
Study level:
Undergraduate
Credit points:
12
Unit code:
ASS2028
Prerequisites
Students enrolled in course code ABAB and LBLA must complete at least 72 credit points (equivalent to 6 units) in Year 1 before undertaking any Level 2 units.
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Learning Outcomes
| 1. | Investigate individually and as a team the complex layers of influence on the past and present African socioeconomic trends in the context of other developing regions; | ||
| 2. | Critically evaluate cases of development and social change planning and implementation; | ||
| 3. | Appraise past and present trends in Australia's engagement with Africa; and | ||
| 4. | Explain as a team Africa's position in the global socioeconomic, environmental, security and other aspects of world affairs. |
Assessment
| Assessment type | Description | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay Plan and Introduction | 15% |
| Essay | Theoretical essay on a set topic drawn from one of the weekly session topics (1200 - 1500 words) | 35% |
| Exercise | Presentation of an annotated timeline of important historical or current events or developments | 25% |
| Poster | Poster presentation on comparative trends in development between an African and another developing region (500 words) | 25% |
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