300230 Women and Infrastructural development (S) (WiSe 2017/2018)

Our guest lecturer Mrs Rahla Rahat is a lecturer at the Institute of Social & Cultural Studies (ISCS), University of the Punjab, Lahore.

Course description:
There is a high demand in both the private and public sectors to develop infrastructure for energy, transport, and water management in developing countries. While this is integral to poverty alleviation and overall economic progress of a country, there are negative effects created by the project footprints especially for women. Large scale infrastructure projects have a potential to influence communities tremendously for better or for worse, whether positive or negative, the social, cultural, political, environmental, and economic systems of an area change forever. Additionally, infrastructure development projects have different impact on men and women due to their differential gender roles in a range of social situations.

Infrastructure projects, especially the state-led, have the potential to improve the status of women in the project area through their activities and programs. A lack of recognition of the role and possibilities often leads to gender-blind policies, financing, and planning. It is therefore essential that gender dimensions be carefully addressed in large-scale projects so that both men and women share the project benefit equally.

This course explores development of women through infrastructural projects from a sociological lens. The course will provide an understanding of problems faced in developing countries, especially South Asia, as they develop their infrastructure, introducing key concepts and practice of gender and development. This course aims to generate discussions on the larger concepts of women development, infrastructural planning, and implementation.

The course will mainly focus on the following broad areas:

1. Introduction: Women and infrastructure development
2. Displacement, Gender Equity, and Development
3. State, Politics, Ethics, and Rights of Women
4. Gender and role of International organizations in infrastructural development planning
5. Impacts of infrastructure development on women
6. Gender considerations in resettlement planning
7. Conflict, Consultation, and Communication
8. Livelihood Restoration and Benefit Sharing