Course Objectives

The aim of the course is to give students a broader understanding of international development cooperation, particularly in the Latin American context.

In combination with other training, the course will provide a solid background in the administration of foreign aid, development projects, international cooperation, teaching, journalism, immigration issues and the Foreign Service.

This course is intended to foster a reflected attitude towards development aid receiving societies. The importance of understanding the target group as recipients is particularly emphasised. The course will, in addition, build a foundation for a critical and analytical attitude to the role of development aid and its effect on the recipient society.

Course Description

The course will provide an introduction to the subject of foreign aid, with special emphasis on Latin America. It would be particularly useful to students who intend to seek employment in the fields of foreign aid or international development cooperation

The course offers an introduction to development issues through lectures, literature studies and a 3-week field exercise which will acquaint the student with the:

· major trends in Latin American history, with particular stress on Mexico and Guatemala, including ongoing conflicts.

· principal development theories viewed in the light of social conflicts and political changes in Latin America.

· various types of local contexts.

· general contours of Latin American culture, mentality and traditions, so that they can practice international cooperation as a unique cultural encounter (inter-cultural communication in Latin America).

· issues surrounding foreign aid.

· planning-tools used in connection with foreign aid.

· quantitative and qualitative social-scientific methods.

Field exercise with work placement and investigation of an approved problem.

A 3-week obligatory field exercise is an integral part of the course. It will take place at the end of the semester, after the instruction has been completed. The placement will be in a location where the students will receive an introduction to the activities of one or several foreign-aid organisations (non-governmental organisations). The students will be able to monitor the efforts of one or more organisations over a period of time, and representatives from the organisations will acquaint them with the particular challenges they have encountered. Instruction concerning more general issues associated with development will be arranged, in cooperation with the local educational institution. The Norwegian programme-coordinator will be present during the stay, to provide advice and guidance. The students will keep field diaries in accordance with their previously approved problem analysis.

Field report based on an approved problem analysis

The student will write a report after completing the field exercise. The problem to be investigated must be approved in advance, and the report must be approved by the course instructor before the candidate sits for the final examination. The report must analyse the approved problem, as well as any related hypotheses. It must also describe the most pertinent research and background on the subject, the method, and how the method that was chosen might influence the results obtained. There must also be a descriptive empirical section explaining the candidate’s activities in the field, his or her experiences and results.

The students must expect to invest a great deal of personal effort in the learning process in both the classroom and the field, and later, when writing the final report. The evaluation of the level and progress of the student will be made continuously through the obligatory submission of assignments

Learning Methods

The instruction will be carried out in two series of lectures during the semester, each lasting two weeks, for a total of 68 hours. There will be 17 hours of instruction per week, spread over the first four days of each week. Friday will be a study-day, with the teacher present. After each series of lectures, the students will submit an individual written response to the exercises, of between 4 and 8 typewritten pages, or roughly 2500- 5000 words. These must be approved before the candidate may sit for the final examination.

Assessment Methods

Two obligatory submissions must be approved before the candidate may sit the final examination. The field report submitted following the practice period counts for 40% of the final mark. The final 5-hour examination will count for 60% of the total mark for the course. The grades will range from A to F, where E is the lowest passing mark.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean