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GEOG40760

Academic Year 2026/2027

Development and the Global South (GEOG40760)

Subject:
Geography
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Geography
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Christine Bonnin
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The Global South today accounts for over 80 percent of the world’s population, and represents enormous diversity and rapid transformation, commanding an ever-increasing role in world affairs. Many countries of the Global South are experiencing impressive economic growth, with some of the fastest growing economies in the world. Yet simultaneously, the Global South also houses the bulk of the world's poor, with growth frequently accompanied by mounting inequalities.

This module aims to provide students with an in-depth, critical understanding of the key issues, major challenges, and theoretical debates in contemporary geographies of the Global South. We will explore patterns of socio-cultural, economic, political and environmental change in the Global South through an analysis of the relationships between people and places at multiple, intersecting scales. A central place is given to the role of human agency and lived experiences in comprehending how people in the Global South are impacted by and engaging with these transformations.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module, students will have:
1. A critical understanding of the key concepts and main theoretical debates that contribute to our understanding of contemporary geographies of development and the Global South.
2. A comprehensive understanding of key processes influencing socio-cultural, economic, political and environmental transformations underway in the Global South, as well as their impacts on different people and places.
3. Developed critical writing, peer-reviewing and analytical skills through essay-writing, synthesizing readings, formal presentation, and oral critiquing.

Indicative Module Content:

Themes to be covered this year include:

- What is the Global South? Debates on concepts and terminologies.
- Representing the Global South: knowledge production, representation & responsibility
- Rethinking Global South & Development Research – decolonising geographical knowledges & research strategies
- Minoritization and Modernity (China)
- Precarity, social mobility and labour transformation (Brazil and the Philippines)
- Gender and digital inequality in the Global South (India)
- Food Security and Food Sovereignty (Mozambique)
- Livelihoods, Climate related hazards, Resilience (Vietnam / China TBC)

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Expert

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Expert

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Proficient

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Competent

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Proficient

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Expert

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Proficient

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Proficient

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Proficient

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Not addressed

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

20
Small Group

24
Specified Learning Activities

80
Autonomous Student Learning

80
Total

204

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
active/task-based learning; peer and group work; lectures; critical writing; reflective learning; enquiry & problem-based learning; debates; case-based learning; student presentations.

This is an AI-Red module, which means the use of generative artificial intelligence is not permitted in this module. If any potential academic integrity issues related to AI use arise, we have a zero-tolerance approach.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): You must prepare an final essay of around 3000 words, due in Week 12, on a topic or question relevant to development-related transformations in the contemporary Global South. Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
60
 Yes
Assignment(Including Essay): Each week you must prepare 3-4 well thought-out discussion questions based on the assigned readings and materials for that week. Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
15
 Yes
Individual Project: You will deliver a presentation based on your final essay topic to the class at the end of the semester. Week 11, Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
25
 Yes

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 12:00 - 13:50
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