Programme

Development is mainly a matter of fair distribution of resources. During the ‘Justice’ module, the central question is always to which extent a distribution policy is just. The judgement whether a given distribution is fair or not, depends not only on the actual distribution, but also on the concept of justice. You will learn different theories about justice, analyse situations based on these theories and come to your own view on what just distribution is.

During this course, you will get to know various development issues. For that, you will initially learn how to  perceive these issues from a general context. That context consists of a selection of literature on development theories, views on (sustainable) development, systems thinking, globalization and working with future scenarios. You will subsequently apply this knowledge to five specific cases, such as the resource conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Finally, you will be expected to show your ability to assess possible solutions to development issues.

In this course, you will learn how cultural identity is constructed and how culture(s) can be analysed on the basis of different theoretical concepts, from cultural anthropology to cultural dimensions. You will learn to recognize the core values of your own culture and their importance for judging and communication. Moreover,  you will learn to apply theories of intercultural communication in specific situations. You will be able to reflect upon your own cultural position and that of others, using different perspectives on culture (culture visions) and to analyse geopolitical conflicts from a cultural point of view.

The internship is the synthesis module of all parts of this minor. For four weeks, you will participate in an existing project in a developing country where – in addition to substantive goals – you will have to show that you are able to collaborate with people from different cultures.

In the months leading up to the internship, you will prepare yourself and your stay abroad during weekly meetings. On the basis of a work plan, you formulate learning objectives, you describe the project and you prepare for local conditions. The preparation includes making the previously mentioned work plan, a culture analysis and several guest lectures by experts.

Examples of internships in a developing country in recent years:

• Organizing activities for young people in Malawi;
• Making a video report about a sustainable agricultural project in the Moluccas;
• Supporting an exchange project between schools in the Netherlands and Romania;
• Reorganising and maintaining a school building in rural Nepal;
• Teaching disabled children in Vietnam.