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ANTH3277: Development, Conflict, and Crisis in the Lower Omo Valley

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Type Open
Level 3
Credits 10
Availability Not available in 2024/2025
Module Cap None.
Location Durham
Department Anthropology

Prerequisites

  • ANTH2111 Sex, Reproduction and Love OR ANTH2141 Global Health and Disease

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To introduce the peoples and histories of the Lower Omo Valley in southwest Ethiopia.
  • To explore the relationships between place and health, and between displacement and ill-health over both long- and short-term time horizons.
  • To bring medical anthropology into conversation with planetary health and critical studies of development.
  • To provide a window on the challenges of engaged anthropology in the context of an unfolding crisis

Content

  • The module takes a historical conjuncture in a river system in southwest Ethiopia as a way into questions about environmental change and human well-being.
  • Topics that may be covered include: dams, modernity, and environmental conflict; contestation and resistance against development projects; colonization and displacement; debates concerning the Anthropocene; advocacy, networks, and applied anthropology .

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • At the end of the module, students will be able to:
  • Demonstrate advanced levels of current knowledge and intensive understanding in medical anthropology theories.
  • Deploy analytical skills specific to the topics of health and environmental change .
  • Be competent in accessing and assimilating specialised research literature of an advanced nature.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • In depth knowledge of the anthropology of health and environment, with emphasis on interpretation and comprehensive understanding of primary or secondary data.

Key Skills:

  • In depth knowledge of the anthropology of health and environment, with emphasis on interpretation and comprehensive understanding of primary or secondary data.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Lectures may consist of pre-recorded videos, live presentations, break-out discussions or other activities as appropriate to the material covered from week to week
  • Seminar / tutorial elements will develop topics introduced in lectures and required reading to analyse aspects or case studies in greater depth and to prepare students for their summative assignment.
  • Student preparation and reading time will allow engagement with specific references in advance of tutorials and general and particular reading related to the assessment, which will be a written assignment (such as an essay or report).

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures10Weekly110 
Classes5Specified in module handbook 15Yes
Preparation and Reading 85 
Total100 

Summative Assessment

Component: CourseworkComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Research journal (individual)250 words per essential reading - 4500 words in total20yes
Research project (collaborative)1000 words per student80yes

Formative Assessment

2500 word draft of research journal 500 word contribution to research project

More information

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