Gender Analysis in Development Planning                                              Dr. Anita M. Weiss

INTL 640, Spring 2006                                                                                        307 PLC; 346-3245

Mondays, 2-4:50 p.m., 348 PLC                                                                          Office hours: Wednesdays 10-noon & appts

Course Syllabus

Building upon seminar participants' interests and our collective understandings of the interrelationship between gender, development and social change, we will explore specific ways in which development planning works and how gender analysis can be taken into consideration in this process. This class intends to have very practical applications. Important themes which will be considered include how to research and then construct viable projects; case studies of how to include gender issues in development planning; critical issues in economic empowerment, political action and human rights and relating these to development planning; and how to facilitate both donor agencies and governmental bureaucracies to become more gender-responsive and truly promote greater local participation in planning and evaluation of projects.

            

                   This course has a prerequisite: INTL 521 or 522 or consent of the instructor.


Requirements: The readings for this course are relatively heavy, but that's the thrill of a graduate level-only seminar! There are a lot of new works out there, and I struggled to select readings which round out various issues which we need to address. As this is a small seminar, it is crucial that all readings be completed prior to our class meetings. Ideally, students should meet outside of class to discuss them as well; I would be happy to be a part of such meetings, my schedule permitting. The following required books are available for purchase at the U of O bookstore:

(1) Grown, Caren, Geeta Rao Gupta and Aslihan Kes Taking Action: Achieving Gender Equality

and Empowering Women UN Millennium Project, Earthscan, 2005

(2) Leach, Fiona Practising Gender Analysis in Education Oxfam, 2003

(3) Oxfam What Men and Women Want: a Practical Guide to Gender and Participation Oxfam

2004

(4) Perry, Susan and Celeste Schenck Eye to Eye: Women Practising Development across

Cultures Zed Press, 2001

(5) Rowlands, Jo Questioning Empowerment: Working with Women in Honduras Oxfam 1997

 

 

Grading for the course will be assessed on the following:                                                                                         

  a) Class participation and discussion: as this is a graduate seminar, it is expected that students will not only have completed the readings prior to the class in which they will be discussed, but also will have noted issues which deserve further attention and discussion. A good ‘rule of thumb’ is to come to class with 2-3 questions or points you would like to discuss. In addition, each student is responsible for facilitating one of the topics and one of the methods we will be discussing; be sure to sign up on the first day of class. (20%)      Link to schedule here

  b) Preliminary mapping due April 17th and then on April 24th  (20%)

         

Maki's mapping    Cara's mapping Amarah's mapping Dann's mapping Janet's mapping Katie's mapping   Rachel's mapping  Susan's mapping Deanne's mapping

  c) Partner Project to develop a fundable Project Proposal (PP) (40%)

  d) Final assignment (20%)

 

 

Link to Course Outline

 

Link to Participants, Topics and Project Proposal Presentation Schedule