Community Development: Theory and Practice

Unit code: ASA5001 | Study level: Postgraduate
12
(Generally, 1 credit = 10 hours of classes and independent study.)
City Campus
Footscray Park
N/A
Overview
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Overview

This unit critically reviews a variety of contemporary community development perspectives. The focus is upon understanding the context of international social, economic and political development. Students will critique how they understand their own positionality and how their views have been shaped by the dominant economic paradigm. The unit focuses also on various development frameworks and their approaches to environmental sustainability, equality and human rights. Further, the unit engages learners in a self-critique as global actors in development and social change. Students interrogate practices in poverty reduction, marginalisation, community organisation and conscientisation, to develop clarity of their own praxis.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Advocate their own position and motivation to undertake community development work;
  2. Commentate upon key principles of community development in international and local contexts;
  3. Deconstruct contemporary development-related issues; and
  4. Interrogate the roles of culture, politics, economy and different social contexts in community development.
  5. Participate in an academic community of discourse through reflective and critical engagement in academic texts and understanding of principles of academic integrity.

Assessment

For Melbourne campuses

Hurdle assessment task: Completion of five Academic Integrity Modules

Assessment type: Review
|
Grade: 20%
Review an item in the unit reading list.
Assessment type: Presentation
|
Grade: 15%
Lead class discussion and analysis of article/chapter reviewed.
Assessment type: Journal
|
Grade: 15%
Debate on a Community Development Key Concept
Assessment type: Essay
|
Grade: 50%
Perspectives on theory and practice.
Assessment type: Other
|
Grade: 0%
Evidence of completion of the Academic Integrity Modules

Required reading

Students will be provided with a reading list via VU Collaborate.

As part of a course

This unit is studied as part of the following course(s):

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