EXT 304: Social Mobilisation and Community Development
Credit Hours: 3 (2+1)
Full Marks: 75 (Theory: 50, Practical: 25)
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the techniques for developing rural community development programs.
- Appreciate the importance of socially organized groups and their mobilization in developmental activities.
- Apply participatory planning, monitoring, and evaluation in grassroots-level programs.
- Understand gender-sensitive development and equity issues in rural development.
I. Syllabus Overview
- Concepts of development, rural development, and community development
- Poverty: causes, consequences, and strategies for alleviation
- Social mobilization: definition, process, strategies, and institutional development
- Participatory planning, implementation, and monitoring of community programs
- Gender concepts, needs, roles, and gender-sensitive planning
II. Course Outline
A. Lecture Topics (30 Lectures)
| S.N. | Topic | No. of Lectures |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concept of development, sustainable development, rural and community development; principle of community development; overview of rural development efforts in Nepal | 3 |
| 2 | Factors and goals of development; cultural and social heritage; dilemmas in rural development in Nepal | 3 |
| 3 | Major problems and issues of rural and community development in Nepal | 2 |
| 4 | Poverty, human poverty, relative deprivation, poverty in SAARC countries, SAARC declaration on poverty elimination | 2 |
| 5 | Concept of social mobilization: definition, purposes, and strategies | 3 |
| 6 | Process of social mobilization: institutional development, participatory planning, implementation, and sustainable utilization of results | 3 |
| 7 | Social mobilization in multi-ethnic communities and conflict situations | 3 |
| 8 | History of social mobilization in Nepal and lessons learned | 2 |
| 9 | Decentralization for development: definition, strategy, and current status in Nepal | 2 |
| 10 | Concept of micro-finance and its role in poverty alleviation; practices of micro-finance in Nepal | 3 |
| 11 | Actors of rural development and poverty alleviation programs; linkages, coordination, problems, and issues | 2 |
| 12 | Introduction to gender concepts, segregation, stratification, discrimination, equity, and social inclusion | 1 |
| 13 | Gender needs, roles, analysis, gender-sensitive planning, gender audit, and mainstreaming in development with focus on resource-poor women | 2 |
| 14 | Origin and concept of WID, WAD, GAD, and GESI | 1 |
| Total | 30 |
B. Practical Topics (15 Sessions)
| S.N. | Practical Activities | No. of Practicals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conducting baseline survey in a rural community and analyzing the situation | 2 |
| 2 | Preparing village profile | 2 |
| 3 | Exposure to techniques of organization development via audiovisual media, role play, and site visits | 2 |
| 4 | Participatory social action planning exercise to prepare portfolio of opportunities and community investment plans | 2 |
| 5 | Business plan preparation | 1 |
| 6 | Observing VDC level planning and process | 2 |
| 7 | Practical exercise on participatory monitoring and evaluation system | 2 |
| 8 | Practical exercise on exploring equity and inclusion issues and resolving them | 1 |
| 9 | Practical on MIS through observing a real case at the grassroots | 1 |
| Total | 15 |
References
- Khan, S. S., & Sah, J. S. (2001). Social Mobilisation Manual Based on Syangja Experience. Social Mobilisation Experimentation and Learning Centre.
- UNDP. (2001). Governance and Poverty Reduction: National Human Development Report. Kathmandu.
- Katar Singh. (1999). Rural Development, 2nd Edition. Sage Publications, New Delhi; Thousand Oaks; London.
- Jayanti Baura. (2001). Social Mobilization and Modern Society. Mittal Publications, New Delhi, India.
