ACCRA: Experiential Learning Seminar

Catalog description

This course is designed to prepare and support students undertaking an internship at an NGO in Ghana. This weekly seminar will introduce students to key concepts and debates in the field of development studies, as well as provide a space to raise questions and reactions to the internship experience. We will survey foundational and current texts that elaborate theories and functions of development, with a focus on the recent history of social and economic development approaches in Africa. Charting the transition from public to private development institutions, the readings will provide critical insights into rights-based approaches, gender equity and empowerment, sustainability, accountability, and the role of government. In addition to exploring theoretical frameworks, we will devote significant class time to discussing student experiences at their internships. Students will identify and critically appraise different aspects of their organization: their mission, methodology, programs, relationship with various stakeholders, and philosophy of change. By bringing both academic and practical perspectives to bear on the role civil society plays in capacity-building and improvement of livelihoods, this course offers an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to the questions ‘What is development?’, ‘Who is the subject of development?’ and ‘Does it work?’ These questions cannot be answered by looking at theory or practices in isolation. By reflecting on how theory and practice shape each other, we will explore the rich history of debate and innovation in the field to deepen our understanding of the development context in Ghana. This course will be the academic component of your internship experience. You will use the seminar to reflect critically and analytically on your internship as a way to further your academic goals. You will be asked to evaluate various aspects of…