Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC3103: The Resource Paradox: Blessing or Curse?

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Module Aims

This module aims to enable you:

- To introduce mainstream and critical understanding about the relationship between resources and development from an international perspective

- To link theory to a range of case studies and give students opportunity to research contemporary empirical cases

- To familiarize students with an inter-disciplinary literature which engages the social, political and economic impacts of resource extraction and resource conflict across the globe

- To challenge and engage with complex empirical cases from a range of levels of analysis

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge about resource extraction and resource conflict, with reference to state of the art theoretical debate as well as empirical examples 2. Demonstrate in depth understanding of debates about international concepts of and approaches to development, and criticism of them
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Assimilate taught materials and utilize them to critically analyse and evaluate conflict case studies 4. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of major political theories and understandings of how to apply them to empirical case studies identified in the course 5. Synthesise a range of literatures 6. Demonstrate knowledge of theoretical arguments within a significant sub-sector of academic and practitioner interest
Personal and Key Skills	7. Research and write critically and analytically 8. Communicate complex arguments effectively through written submissions intended for a range of audiences 9. Communicate and defend stakeholder positionality

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Research essay outline	300 words	1-8	Written or verbal

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Media Briefing Paper	30	1200 words	2-7, 9	Written
Research Essay	70	3000 words	1-8	Written
	0
	0
	0
	0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Media Briefing Paper	1200 word media briefing paper	2-7	August/September reassessment period
Research Essay	3000 word research essay	1-8	August/September reassessment period