Global Development Studies
S C A R B O R O U G H
IDSB11H3 F
Global Development in Comparative Perspective
October 4, 2023
Instructor: Antonio Torres-Ruiz
E-mail address: antonio.torres.ruiz@utoronto.ca
Guidelines for Three Alternative Assignments
Worth: 40% of the final grade.
Due date: November 8th.
As previously announced, there are three different alternatives for this component of the course,
and you must pick one of the following:
A. Written Assignment.
B. Short Video.
C. Oral Conversation.
Content and Purpose of All Three Assignments:
As we have discussed in Module One, drawing from Critical Theory and both Decolonial and
Postcolonial thinkers and ideas, there is a growing debate around the relevance of International
versus Global Development approaches and frameworks. Based on a selection of two cases (i.e.,
countries, regions, or communities), you must discuss the rationale for adopting one of the two
approaches/frameworks and for comparing South-South, North-South, and/or even North-North
cases in Development Studies. On top of drawing from the course’s sources (i.e., syllabus’ reading
list and authors mentioned in class), try to draw as much as possible from sources outside of the
“western canon” (in other languages too) that you could access or are aware of, which could help
us expand our understandings and epistemologies of development-related issues. Such an exercise
will reflect a more serious acknowledgement and more encompassing analysis of the diverse
realities defining your selected cases, as well as the evolving complexities of an increasingly
globalized/interconnected world. Additionally, you are expected to focus on at least one of the
following aspects of sustainable human development: participatory democracy or social and
political inclusion, health, education, and environmental challenges.
A. Written Assignment
Research Proposal:
In the case of the written assignment, you will be writing a research proposal, which is the first
step in the process of producing a research paper, a major investigation project, or a
dissertation/thesis. Its central objective is twofold: 1) it helps the researcher in clarifying the
personal and intellectual motivations for doing it, the overall rationale for the investigation, the
specific issue, the approach, the methodology, and its scope, before embarking in such a complex
process; and 2) it serves to convince the instructor, the supervisor, or the thesis or ethics committee
- whatever the case might be - about its soundness and in getting their approval to proceed. In
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other words, a proposal represents an opportunity to: a) state the reasons for picking the selected
issue or subject; b) articulate a preliminary argument or hypothesis; c) set the conceptual
framework; d) determining the methodology and scope of the project, including the need for
interviews or fieldwork; and e) coming up with a precursory list of academic and primary sources
from which one will be drawing.
More specifically, and for the purposes of IDSB11, the primary objective of this
assignment is to allow you to identify and define a couple of country cases and/or communities
you are interested in analyzing and comparing, according to the general guidelines provided
above for all three assignments. It is also important to emphasize that in ALL cases you MUST
get the approval or green light, by the instructor, about the topic/case selection before submitting
your proposal. Based on the case/s selection, you are expected to apply some of the concepts and
material discussed in the course (readings and lectures), from a critical theory perspective. This
assignment is designed to help you make sense of the course’s readings and class discussions,
complementing them with supporting evidence and analyses you have identified so far (e.g.,
academic books/chapters and/or journal articles, i n c l u d i n g b u t beyond the course’s
reading list), as well as primary sources (governmental documents, intergovernmental reports,
Civil Society Organizations’ work, different media, etc.). It is important to emphasize that in
writing a research proposal, one must keep in mind the personal, intellectual, and social or
collective goals for engaging in such a process, beyond the practical and legitimate interest in
getting a good mark or an academic degree.
In coming up with the issue that interests you, you must identify a real-life situation in today’s
world, whereby you involve yourselves in the analysis of a set of circumstances that allows you to
justify a global development approach and comparative analysis. And in thinking about the
potential research paper (which you WILL NOT be submitting for this course) you must consider
the following questions: What are the concepts/ideas you will be drawing from? What is the type
of information you will require? Who are the actors/stakeholders that must be considered,
consulted, and worked with? What are the implications and potential contributions of your research
and its outcomes? What other cases or examples could you draw from? This exercise will allow
you to imagine the future scenario in which you could do some fieldwork and engage in the type
of real-life processes people in the field of international/global development find themselves all
the time. And in your case and for the purposes of this course from a clearly defined critical
perspective.
Basic Components:
I. - Reasons or rationale for picking the selected issue/topic and the country case: You
must clearly identify the issue(s) that concerns you the most regarding the ethical, equity, and
justice considerations for international/global development about your selected case. Briefly
explain why the issue/topic and case are important and, provide your own personal and/or
academic reasons for choosing them (i.e., critical reflection and positionality).
II. - Clear preliminary research question and thesis statement: You must formulate a clear
question of your own or one that you identify in the course readings (or in any additional sources
you have found so far) that interests you. Keep in mind that this question will evolve as you go
through the process of research and reflection, but it will serve you as a compass or guiding light.
This should be accompanied by your preliminary or tentative response or hypothesis (thesis
statement) – that is the key idea or argument to be developed.
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III. - Intended approach, methodology, and scope: Your proposal must aim at providing a
critical analysis, which will allow you to position your preliminary argument within a conceptual
framework. You must also explain what the methodology for the investigation will be,
describing how you will go about engaging in the process of incorporating and analyzing any
relevant, sound, and well-balanced evidence, to produce any “new” knowledge or insights. And
you should indicate what the realistic scope of the research process is expected to be.
IV. - An outline: You are expected to provide the intended basic structure of the future
paper/essay/thesis. In other words, you must produce an outline (not in point form, but in an essay
format) of the key ideas to be developed in the paper, providing a general description of its
different sections and the way in which you will incorporate the available analyses and data to
support your argument.
V.- List of References. A properly structured list of all references cited in the text of the proposal.
VI. – Annotated bibliography: You will provide the annotated bibliographical references for all
the relevant sources you have identified so far. It must consist of a list of reputable academic (at
least 10) and other types of sources (e.g., governmental, from CSOs, media, etc.). This is more
than just a list of sources/resources that will be used for the research project. In fact, each entry
requires an annotation that evaluates the significance of every source and its relationship to the
issue/topic or field of investigation. The annotations demonstrate that even if the researchers
have not fully read all sources, they are familiar enough with each of them and have critically
determined their relevance for the project at hand. Each annotation for this assignment should
not be longer than 100 words, and t h e y c a n b e subdivided and grouped b y format (i.e.,
books, journals, newspapers, etc.), or according to topic. Avoid providing vague explanations,
plagiarizing descriptions, or reviews, or including entries that are off-topic or irrelevant.
For some further guidelines on how to elaborate annotated bibliographies see the following:
https://www.library.mun.ca/researchtools/guides/citations/
https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography
Format and Submission Guidelines:
Format. The body of your research proposal should not be longer than 1500 words (Font size 12;
double-spaced), excluding list of references and annotated bibliographic references. As for all
academic assignments, you must include a Title Page, with all the basic information: the
paper’s title, course information, n u m b e r i n g p a g e s , your name, and date.
Referencing style. You may use the referencing style of your preference (e.g., Canadian Uniform
Legal, MLA, APA, or Chicago), i f you are consistent and provide complete information for all
references. Please consult an academic writing style guide in case you have any doubts regarding
how to properly cite and/or include a reference in your assignment.
Submission: The assignment must be submitted via Quercus, as a Word or PC friendly
File (No PDF or Mac files, please) on the due date. A respective entry will be created on the
course website for that purpose, and it will be announced. Please, be aware that we will be using
Ouriginal for text/content similarity checks. If you object to its use, you must let us know in
advance and we will find an alternative mechanism for that same purpose. No late assignments
will be accepted – except for extraordinary (documented) circumstances (See section on late
submissions and appeals below). Keep an electronic copy or a hard copy of the original until it
has been graded.
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The Research Proposal will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Rationale Behind in Selecting the Topic: The proposal defines the issue(s) of most concern to
you, as well as the country case or cases that the research will focus on. It provides the central
reasons why the topic is important or helpful, personally and/or academically speaking.
Research Question and Central Argument: The research proposal clearly demonstrates that you
have understood the concepts presented in the relevant course materials and lectures, and that you
can establish some connections among the ideas put forward and the case you decided to focus on.
As a result, it provides a clear and well-articulated research question and a central thesis/argument.
Analysis: The proposal develops a carefully thought-out assessment of the relevance of the topic
for the analysis of equity, ethics, and justice in international development. It demonstrates a good
understanding of how the different sources identified so far will potentially contribute to explore
the subject/s at hand. And it explicitly states what knowledge contribution the proposed research
will be attempting to make in the respective field. Both the critical approach and the methodology
are clearly defined.
Organization: It provides a clear sense of how the paper will be structured, the different points
made flow logically, with well-developed paragraphs and enough evidence on how the preliminary
question will be addressed and the main argument backed with some concrete illustrations. In other
words, it provides a clear outline.
Style: It is clearly written and free of cumbersome wording and/or phrasing. Terms have been used
appropriately and ideas are clearly developed. Scholarly writing is demonstrated by avoiding slang
words and/or problematic language. It avoids repetitive wording and phrasing, with no more than
a few quotations or specific references that are used appropriately and sparingly to illustrate some
key points.
Grammar: Attention has been paid to grammar, using proper verb tenses, sentence structure, and
spelling. Proper punctuation demonstrates that it has been proofread to eliminate basic
grammatical errors.
Referencing: Information presented in it has been properly cited. An annotated bibliography is
attached, and properly formatted in a consistent manner, following a standard set of writing
guidelines (i.e., Canadian Uniform Legal, MLA, APA, or Chicago).
Format: The assignment meets the set format and word limit. It has a tittle page and/or includes
all the basic information about the course and author. And pages are properly numbered.
On ChatGPT: In case you are planning to use ChatGPT, there are some things you need to know:
1. ChatGPT tends to take content to answer questions and prompts without the proper credit
(i.e., content is not always cited) 
2. Sometimes the content and information given by ChatGPT is incorrect. 
3. ChatGPT has its limit and can only be specific to a certain extent.
4. Please know that the University is currently discouraging the use of such AI systems until
it is assured that the system protects personal information (e.g., email address use to
register) – Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education. 
5. Your lived experience and views cannot be mimicked by ChatGPT and that is irreplaceable
when it comes to this course and the work you produce.
Please remember to cite the content you use. The content used from ChatGPT will be treated as
content developed by a third party.
1. Reference list: OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (March 14 version) [Large language model]
https://chat.openai.com/chat
2. In text citation: (OpenAI, 2023).
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Plagiarism is a serious academic offence with a severe penalty. For further
clarification and information, make sure you read the University of Toronto’s
policy on plagiarism at:
http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize/
B. Short Video
The second alternative will consist of producing a visual piece of work on a theme and content
directly related to the course and the general guidelines provided above for all three assignments.
This assignment challenges students to think critically and innovatively about global and/or
international development in comparative perspective. A five- to ten-minute video will be made
by pairs (teams of two people) on a theme covered in the course or related to it. The videos will be
submitted on a set due date and presented to the whole class at the end of the term, when each pair
will explain the process and purpose of creating the video, the message it is trying to convey, and
how it relates to the course content. In addition to asking questions and commenting on your video,
other students can also provide feedback.
Each of the team’s work will be evaluated based on their joined success. The two members will
share equal responsibility for their video assignment. Please, keep the instructor informed if the
other person is not doing their part. The videos will be graded according to the quality of the
message, the team’s creativity, originality, and engagement with the course material. Keep the
communication flowing with the instructor, so that he can provide feedback and guidance to each
team before submitting the final version.
C. Oral Conversation
The third option will be an opportunity for you to have a One-on-One Zoom
conversation/discussion with the instructor, which will be based on some preassigned and mutually
agreed topics and readings from the course and based also on the general guidelines for all three
assignments provided above. The date and time for the conversation will be set on an individual
basis (before or by the general due date) between the student and the instructor, who will be
responsible for assigning a grade based on a clearly defined criteria shared with the student
beforehand.
In addition to the specific rubrics, all three assignments will be graded according to the
following general criteria:
• A grade in the 90-100 range is reserved for outstanding work that reflects careful reading
of and reflection on the assigned or selected content/readings as well as the course
material. It is a piece of work that closely follows the specific guidelines, and that goes
the extra mile in its analysis and reflections. Any work within this grade range must
be factually accurate, very well written (if that is the case) and must offer an original and
persuasive argument or set of ideas.
• A grade in the 76-89 range is for very good work that reflects a sound understanding
of the assigned readings and/or course material, and specific guidelines. It is factually
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accurate, well-written (if that is the case and with only a modest number of grammatical
errors), and persuasively argued/presented.
• A grade in the 65-75 range is for good work that reflects competent, if superficial, reading
of and reflection on the assigned or selected readings/material and guidelines, and/or is
readable (understandable) but lacks in clarity, or makes a weak argument.
• A grade in the 56-64 range is for work that reflects a minimal effort put into reading
of assigned or selected materials and/or in the writing/production of the assignment itself.
• A grade of 55 or less is for work that fails completely to meet any of the above criteria
or is egregiously late.
On Late Submissions and Appeals:
No Late Assignments will be accepted Without Proper Documentation. Late-
penalty waivers will be granted only if the student presents written documentation
of legitimate circumstances that prevented the student from completing the
assignment on time. Failure to provide any such documentation or requesting
approval for late submission will result in the student receiving a zero for that
assignment. If granted, late submissions will get a penalty of 2% of the
assignment’s grade per weekday lateness. Legitimate circumstances include
religious holidays, illness, and serious family emergencies. Requests due to work
overload (either university related or extra-curricular) will not be accepted.
Please be advised that computer problems (such as crashes, viruses, corrupted
disks, etc.) will NOT be accepted as grounds for extensions. Make sure you
back up your work in reliable media often and avoid leaving work to the last minute
to prevent problems. If you can forecast problems with meeting the deadline and you
have documentation, please contact the instructor as soon as possible. Do not wait
until the due date has passed.
Grading appeals: If you would like to have your assignment re-assessed or re-
graded, you must submit a written request (1-2 pages) clearly outlining the reasons
why you feel the grade you received was not a correct assessment of your work. In
that request, you must indicate the grade (number grade, not simply letter grade) you
think your assignment deserves. There must be a significant difference between the
grade you received and the grade you think your assignment deserves. You should
note that, due to the re-grade request, your assignment’s grade may remain the same,
go up, or go down.