Knowledge of previous issues is not required.

1) Ability to recognize the complexity of social phenomena 2) Critical thinking. 3) Ethical commitment. 4) Ability to manage relevant information. 5) Ability to recognize the global and local character of social phenomena. 6) Analysis of the transformations and evolution of contemporary societies. 7) Knowledge of the basic components of social inequalities and cultural differences. 8) Introduction to the evolution of contemporary societies and their social and political movements.

The course begins with a basic conceptualization of the theories of needs, human rights and quality of life, which should be address to the concept of development and the major theories related to it (theories of modernization, dependency and world system). The analysis of the effects of globalization and new perspectives of glocalization (connection between global development and local development) which includes a look at the dilemma between development and growth as well as the differentiation between these concepts and consequences of the prevailing model of conventional world economic growth: social exclusion and social and environmental unsustainability. The role of international development organizations and institutional actors. Technological development and environmental concerns are examined as factors involved in contemporary human development. The new post-materialist values and the recurring emergence of social movements from the perspective of active agents of social development and the relationships they establish with institutional actors. Searching for new paradigms: Sustainable Human Development Teaching unit Item 1. Look Epistemology of Development Sociology. The complexity Item 2. The concept of development in historical perspective Item 3. The concept of developing a system concept, system requirements, rights and quality of life. Item 4. Theories of development Item 5. Capitalism versus development Item 6. Other approaches to development: sustainable human development Item 7. The other side of development. Poverty and Social Exclusion Item 8. Measuring development Item 9. Development and democracy Item 10. Urban development Item 11. Rural development Item 12. Community development Item 13. Development actors Item 14. Recent alternative approaches to model development / growth

ECTS credits are divided in two blocks of three credits. Each of these blocks are assigned either in theoretical lectures or in practical exercises. The theoretical lessons will be supported by personal assistant by the lecturer using participatory tools to facilitate the exposition with overhead projector. In this respect the students will be given in advance the schemes of each of the subjects that are projected in the classroom and therefore their knowledge will be evaluated in the final examination (3 credits). As for the practical exercises, they break into three different categories, each of them with one credit. Firstly with classroom practices which will be submitted at the end of each topic. These classroom practices will be supported by relevant readings, newspaper articles, legal texts, documentaries or films. Secondly with an exercise based on a book included in the bibliography by the lecturer. The second type consists on a research teamwork based on the analysis of a social movement or international organization (or network of organizations) in the development scope. The team will be formed by 3 students; research methodology will be discussed at the beginning of the course. The teams will have frequent tutorials with the lecturer. The work will be submitted at the end of the course after its exposition in the classroom