Global Trends and Sustainability (GTS) pays specific attention to how globalization has led to dramatic transformations and intensified uneven development across the Global South, in both low and medium income countries. It examines the governance of global development and whether it is fit for purpose and the debate around global development targets, before exploring a series of trends in global development, including urbanisation, the impact of climate change on livelihoods, migration, water and food, the exploitation of natural resources and global health, with a particular emphasis on how forms of inequality and the challenges of sustainability intersect and reinforce each other. We also evaluate the distinctive ways in which globalization and uneven development have shaped the lives of women and children in the global South.

Assessment

1. A blog post (800-1000 words, 25% of total mark) summarising and explaining the key argument and the importance of:

EITHER

Ortiz Ospina, E (2017) Is globalization an engine of economic development? World Bank (https://ourworldindata.org/is-globalization-an-engine-of-economic-development)

OR

UNDP/OOPHI (2019) Global Mulitdimensional Poverty Index: Illuminating Inequalities (available at https://ophi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/G-MPI_Report_2019_PDF.pdf)

2. An essay (approximately 3000 words, 50% of the total mark) on one of the following topics:

• Do the SDGs establish an effective paradigm for a holistic and less unequal approach to global development? Using examples from specific countries, examine the challenges of delivering the mission to ‘leave no one behind’.
• Identify the intersectional inequalities in low and middle income countries between TWO of the following: urbanisation; health; migration; climate change; and land, food and water. Refer in your answer to concrete situations in at least TWO low and middle income countries.
• Do women or children face gender and age specific development challenges? Illustrate your answer with reference to at least TWO issue areas, in at least TWO low or middle income countries.

3. Participation in classes (10% of final mark)

4. Oral presentation: outlines of essays will be presented and discussed in the final two sessions of the course (15% of the total mark).

Competences, learning outcomes and teaching activities (PDF)