Undergraduate Course: International Development and Agriculture (VETS10039)
Course Outline
| School | Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies | 
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine | 
 
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) | 
Availability | Available to all students | 
 
| SCQF Credits | 20 | 
ECTS Credits | 10 | 
 
 
| Summary | This course will address the key theories of international development in agriculture through a combination of political theory and historical and contemporary case studies. | 
 
| Course description | 
    
    This course will cover the major theories of international agricultural development and the historical contexts in which they emerged.  Through much of the history of agricultural development - including in many cases in the present - there has been a tendency to view new agricultural technologies as a form of 'silver bullet' solution which can be un-problematically transplanted across contexts by benevolent international experts. Insights from international development, economic history and global politics will be used to develop a more realistic and pragmatic approach to agricultural development. 
 
    
    
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites | 
 | 
Co-requisites |  | 
 
| Prohibited Combinations |  | 
Other requirements |  None | 
 
 
Information for Visiting Students 
| Pre-requisites | None | 
 
		| High Demand Course? | 
		Yes | 
     
 
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2023/24, Available to all students (SV1) 
  
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Quota:  20 | 
 
| Course Start | 
Semester 1 | 
 
Timetable  | 
	
Timetable | 
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) | 
 
 Total Hours:
200
(
 Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
 | 
 
| Assessment (Further Info) | 
 
  Written Exam
30 %,
Coursework
70 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
 | 
 
 
| Additional Information (Assessment) | 
Exam 30% 
Coursework 70% (Essay 30%; Case-Study 20%; Presentation 20%) 
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| Feedback | 
Feedback will be supplied within 15 days of the submission deadline | 
 
| Exam Information | 
 
    | Exam Diet | 
    Paper Name | 
    Hours & Minutes | 
    
	 | 
  
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | International Development and Agriculture Exam | 1:00 |  |  
 
Learning Outcomes 
    On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
    
        - Describe different views about international development with particular relevance to the role agriculture plays in economic development.
 - Analyse and assess the trade-offs inherent in international development for agriculture.
 - Critically evaluate the potential for agriculture's integration into global value chains as an engine for economic development.
 - Identify, describe and evaluate the roles and responsibilities of statutory, advisory and non-governmental bodies involved in global agriculture with particular relevance to sustainable development.
 
     
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Reading List 
Constance et al (eds.), (2018), Contested Sustainability Discourses in the Agrifood System, Routledge. 
 
Green, A., (2016); 'How change happens', OUP. 
  
Shattuck, A. & Holt Giménez, E.(2011), "Food crises, food regimes and food movements: rumblings of reform or tides of transformation?, The Journal of Peasant Studies 38(1): 109-144. 
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills | 
This course will contribute to developing graduate skills in: 
Influencing and negotiations skills, having the ability to negotiate or persuade and influence others - practically through working as a group to produce a presentation, and theoretically by understanding the challenges of participatory research. 
Verbal communication & presentation, enhancing verbal communication skills encompassing both listening and questioning, and oral communication of complex ideas and arguments - through working as a group to produce a presentation 
Team working, effectively perform within team environments including the ability to recognise and capitalise on individuals' different thinking, experience and skills - through working as a group to produce a presentation, and choosing how to respond by blogging about seminar presentations. 
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| Keywords | International development,agriculture,global politics,political theory,case studies. | 
 
 
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Prof Alan Duncan 
Tel:  
Email:  | 
Course secretary | Mr Gordon Littlejohn 
Tel: (0131 6)51 7454 
Email:  | 
   
 
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