Objectives and Outcomes

1. To introduce students to postcolonial globalization in Africa with special reference to the question of development and religion in Southern Africa: Outcome— by the end of course students should be able to demonstrate a coherent and working understanding of the relationships among globalization, religion and development in postcolonial Africa.
2. To establish and define the many areas of possible and actual collaboration between religion, globalization, and development: Outcome—by the end of the course students should be able explain and demonstrate why religion and international development are not incompatible by providing concrete examples of areas of possible and actual collaboration.
3. To help students acquire the critical and interdisciplinary  knowledge and skills necessary for identifying and effectively addressing basic issues and problems in religion and international development in the context of postcolonial globalization: Outcome—by the end of the course students should be able to use tools from religious studies, theology and the social sciences to identify  and critically analyze basic issues such as proselytization, state regulation of Faith-Based Non-Governmental Organizations, gender, corruption, governance ,etc.
4. To provide resources for students interested in this area to pursue  and deepen their understanding  of religion, globalization and development by making available  learning opportunities : Outcome— by the end of the course students should be able to do independent research by gathering and evaluating resources and materials relevant to religion and international development.

Southern African Development Community

Southern African Development Community

Quality Class Participation Defined

Class Participation is not:

Over-participation: Be warned of the dangers of being besotted with  the sound of your own voice and ideas. This can lead to monopolizing the floor, over-participation, irrelevance and the exclusion of other voices.

Quality Class Participation is:

• Input that maintains the continuity and coherence of the class discussion. This disallows off-the-wall comments.
• Input that was picked up and responded to by others in the class. Thus, a controversial, yet intelligent question or comment that reflects an understanding of the issue at hand will be well regarded.
• Input that demonstrates an in-depth analysis of the issue at hand, well supported by data or a relevant conceptual framework.
• Input that makes connections between material and ideas in different parts of the class or between this and other classes.
• Input that provides an example from your own observations or experience of the subject at hand.
• Active participation in group or team activities in class.

Finally, civility in the give and take of a heated discussion is a requirement. Discussion questions in class will be designed to provoke disagreement, and there typically exists more than one viable approach to resolving the problems presented in any context.

These comments are intended to give you a general sense of what I am looking for in class discussions. These comments are not intended to be an exhaustive checklist of the precise and only criteria I will use. I will also post on Canvas additional information about how to participate in class discussion effectively.