FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Course Name: GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT

Course Code: HSDS 1222
Lecturer: Mr. T. Chiveya
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +263 77 2 647 844
Mobile number +263 713 086 333
(Alternative):

Module Description
The module explores different governance systems and their impact on
developmental outcomes, with special focus on Africa. Topics covered
include: definition of governance, the relationship between governance and
development, definition of democracy and the controversies surrounding
the definition, ‘universal’ characteristics or features of democracy
(separation and balance of power, accountability and transparency,
freedom of association, freedom of speech and freedom of the media, rule
of law, pluralist party system, respect for minority groups, public
participation, free and credible elections); different democracies/political
systems/regimes or governments and how they impact on development.
The module also covers issues of corruption and anti-corruption strategies,
transparency, accountability, participation, decentralisation, among many
other issues.

Teaching Methodology
Teaching in this course will be through a combination of lectures, general
class discussions and seminars. Lectures will only form a small part of the
course as emphasis at this level is placed more on students familiarising
themselves with the prescribed concepts and literature and developing
their own views on major issues through individual analysis and collective
discussions.

Course Aims
The basic aim of this course is to expose students to governance theory and
practice and its implications for development in the Global South

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Course Objectives
To introduce students to:
 Conceptualise key terms in governance and development
 Key theoretical debates on governance
 Key actors and stakeholders in governance and development
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

Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course students will be able to:
 Identify and understand the most important problems and debates in
the field of governance and development.
 An ability to understand and evaluate the shifting nature of the role
of the state in development
 An ability to critically analyze the current prominent mainstream
paradigm related to Governance and Good Governance
 Understand the diversity of economic and political structures among
developing countries.
 Use and understand a range of sources for empirical information and
critically evaluate the empirical basis of different approaches to
development.
 Develop their analytical and critical skills, through the ideas
discussed in the lectures and through tutorials.
 Enhance their communication and critical thinking skills through
seminar debate and discussion.

COURSE OUTLINE
Lecture Topic Suggested Reading
1. Introduction to
Governance and
Development: The
Course Overview

2. Governance and
development: The
Conceptual Framework
 What is governance?
 What is Good
Governance?
 What is Democracy
 What are Human
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 Rights
 What is Development
 What is Sustainable
Development?
 What is a State?

3. Theories and Models of

Governance

 Organizational theory
 Cultural theory
 Structural-functional
theory
 The Universalist
Perspective
 The Relativist
perspective
 The Radicalistic
Perspective
 The government-as-
machine model
 The government-as-
network model
 The performance-
control model
 The virtual-
government model
 The normative-control
model
 The market model
 The participatory
state model,
 The flexible
government model
 The deregulated
government model,

4. The Politics of Resources

and Capital
Accumulation

 Resource
Accumulation/Mobilis
ation
 Resource Distribution
 Resource Utilisation
 Resource Control

5. Actors in Governance
 The State

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  The Market
 The Third Sector
 Business-State
Relations and
Development
 State-Civil Society
Relations and
Development

6. Elites and Governance

 Political cleavages
 Clientelism
 Politically Exposed
Persons
 Corruption and
Development

7. Regime Type and

Development

 Authoritarian
Regimes and
Development
Conundrums
 The Developmental
State

8. The Existing Good

Governance Paradigm
and Its Critics
 Democratisation
Debates
 Huntington’s Third
Wave of
Democratisation
 Democratisation and
Peace building

9. Global Governance
 United Nations
Organisation
 International Criminal
Court
 Regional Integration –
African Union, RECs

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10. Governance and Aid –
The History of a
Relationship

11.

MODULE ASSESSMENT
Continuous Assessment: Students will write two assignments as part of
continuous assessment and these are to be judged using the following
criteria: amount of literature covered; relevance of literature reviewed;
critical assessment of the literature; structure of essay presentation;
creative thinking; coherence of arguments; and credibility of conclusions,
and any other criteria decided by the lecturer. Students are required to
take each of the two components seriously as they have a bearing on the
final mark. All assignments have to be typed: 1.5 or 2.0 spaced using font
size 12. It is absolutely vital that you read widely before you write your
essay in order to fully appreciate the subject matter and therefore be able
to come up with a convincing piece of work.
Coursewor Course can take one or a combination of two 40%
k: of the following:
 typed essay
 group assignment & presentation
 in-class test
Examinatio One three hour examination 60%
n:

PLAGIARISM
Students should be aware that plagiarism, which is presenting someone’s
work or self-plagiarising your own work will not be tolerated or accepted.
This is standard academic and University policy. Therefore, students are
expected to properly acknowledge their sources.

SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS
Unless otherwise specified by the lecturer, all students assignments ideally
must be submitted in person at the front office before or on the date of
submission determined by lecturer or agreed to between the lecturer and
students. The Office working hours are Monday to Friday (8am to 4pm).
Students are required to sign the submission receipt before handing in
their assignments. The submission receipts should be produced as
evidence that assignments were submitted. A student who fails to submit
the two assignments would be deemed as having failed to fulfil the
continuous assessment requirements of course, and risk failing the course
or being barred from sitting for the examinations.

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