Module Code and Title:       BES301          Bhutanese Economy and Social Capital

 

Programme(s):                      BSc Environmental Management

 

Credit Value:                         12

 

Module Tutor(s):                   Tshering Dolkar (Coordinator)

Leishipem Khamrang

Radhika Chhetri

GP Sharma

 

General objective(s) of the module:

 

This module will look at the role of social capital in economic development and environmental conservation. Social capital is the instantiation of norms that permit people to cooperate in groups. A growing body of research suggests that the social networks, community norms, and associational activities signified by these concepts can have important effects on social welfare, political stability, economic development, environmental conservation, and governmental performance. The preservation of the traditions is strengthened through generation of employment and economic benefits from leveraging cultural heritage. This module will introduce students to the main aspects of Bhutanese culture, economy and demographic features in order to impart knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the Bhutanese society as well as the factors that determine the past and present day Bhutanese society and the future directions. The students will be learning that leveraging social capital is vital for environmental conservation and socio-economic development in Bhutan.

 

Learning outcomes – Upon successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

 

• Describe the main sociological concepts (society, culture, social institutions) and their historical evolution.
• Examine the application of the main sociological concepts in the Bhutanese cultural context.
• Explain the processes of social change.
• Trace the developments that have been and are taking place in Bhutan in the context of the social change processes.
• Describe economy as a social institution.
• Explore the Bhutanese economy in the context of its institutional structure and development.

·         Evaluate the role of the religious institutions in Bhutan in relation to environmental conservation and economic development.

·         Investigate how social capital could be an integral part for conserving various ecosystems intact for sustainable socio-economic growth in Bhutan.

 

Skills to be developed:

 

·         Students will be able to conduct small-scale sociological research, further developing skills such as how to find, select, and compare relevant sources of information, and how to deal with stakeholders and working partners more effectively.

 

Learning and teaching approaches used:

 

The module will be conducted over 15 teaching weeks as follows:

·         4 hrs/wk lecture & discussions, guest lectures, presentations, group discussions and practical group exercises.

·         4 hrs/wk of self-study of the theory available and for collecting information, and preparing papers and presentations. Students will also use the independent study time for conducting small-scale research to understand how social capital is an integral part for conserving various ecosystems for sustainable socio-economic growth in Bhutan, e.g. data collection and writing on household welfare (from nearby villages).

 

Assessment:

 

Semester-End Examination (SE):            40%

Continuous Assessment (CA):     60%

CA Assessment	Weight	Assessment Detail
Quizzes (3 x 5%)	15%	One verbal quiz, 10 min, worth 5 %, and two written quizzes, 30 min each, worth 5% each.
Individual project work	15%	Small-scale research to investigate how social capital could be an integral part of conserving various ecosystems for sustainable socio-economic growth in Bhutan; report of 1000-1500 words.
Poster presentation / viva	15%	Poster production using the theme “processes of social change and its implication in Bhutan” or “social capital in Bhutan”; presentation of poster at a poster session along with verbal quizzing/interview.
Midterm Exam	15%

 

Pre-requisite knowledge: ENV102 Population, Development, and Environment

 

Subject matter:

 

              I.        Human societies

a.    Theories of the origin of society

b.    Importance of society to the individual

c.    Characteristics and functions of society and culture

d.    Factors of social changes – ideology, science and technology, environment – green revolution, trends in industrial nations, population pressures, scientific revolutions

e.    Social institutions

                                          i.    Organizational differences in patterns of earning livelihoods

                                         ii.    Divisions of labour: traditional versus modern

                                        iii.    Social mobility: factors affecting social mobility

                                       iv.    Processes of social changes

                                        v.    Social problems, societal crimes

                                       vi.    Means of social control: mores, morals, religion and law

                                      vii.    Functions of religion for individuals and society

                                     viii.    Institutions of marriage and family

            II.        Social capital

a.    Concept and historical evolution

b.    Household welfare model

c.    Cooperation and collective actions

d.    Self-rated happiness 

e.    Poverty perception

f.     Policies and practices

g.    GNH and social capital

           III.        Characteristics of the population of Bhutan

a.    Population size and growth

b.    Religion and ethnicity

c.    Composition, growth and structure of labour force

d.    Literacy and health status of population

e.    Nuptiality trends and patterns

f.     Determinants of age at marriage; fertility levels, trends  and differentials

g.    Trends and patterns of morbidity; major causes of morbidity; mortality levels

h.    Levels and trends of urbanization

          IV.        Bhutanese economy

a.    Structure prior to 1960

b.    Structural changes post-1960: Five-Year development plans; changes in the institutional structures; achievements of different sectors; social, political, and economic reforms; impacts of modernization and globalization on the society

c.    Gross National Happiness: Concept; the domains of socioeconomic development; the pillar of environmental conservation

d.    Uniqueness of the Bhutanese economy; status as a land-locked country and implications thereof, hydropower development, role of foreign aid; challenges and opportunities

            V.        Bhutanese Culture

a.    Values and beliefs

b.    Norms

c.    Language

d.    Symbols

e.    Technology

f.     Functions and purpose of the cultural institutions for the Bhutanese society

          VI.        Nexus between social capital, the economy, and environmental sustainability

a.    Case studies on the relationship between economic development, environmental conservation and social capital

b.    Contributions of social capital to Bhutanese ecosystem management and economic growth

c.    Comparative analyses of past situations with the present, and future outlooks

 

Essential Readings

 

1. Macionis, J.J. and Plummer, K. (2013). Sociology: A global introduction. 5th Ed. USA: Pearson Education.

2.    Miller, G.T., and Spoolman, S.E. (2014). Environmental Science 14th Ed. New Delhi: Cengage Learning.

3.    National Statistics Bureau. (2013). Bhutan’s case: social capital, Household Welfare and Happiness, Monograph Series 5, Published by National Statistics Bureau, Thimphu, Bhutan.

4.    Schuelka, M.J. (Ed.). (2013). Proceedings from the International conference on leveraging Cultural Diversity, Thimphu, Bhutan.

5.    Woolcock, M. and Narayan, D. (2000). Social Capital: Implications for Development Theory, Research, and Policy. World Bank Research Observer, 15(2): 225-249.

 

Additional Readings:

 

1.    Coleman, J.S. (1988) "Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital," American Journal of Sociology Supplement 94 (): S95-S120.

2.    Cunningham, W.P., and Cunningham, M.A. (2012). Environmental Science: A Global Concern, 12th Ed. McGraw Hill.

3.    Ellickson, R.C. (1991). Order without Law:  How Neighbors Settle Disputes, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pp. 137-166.

4.    Enger, E.D. and Smith, B.F. (2010). Environmental Science, 12th Ed. McGraw-Hill.

5.    Fukuyama, F. (2000). “Social Capital and Civil Society,” IMF Working Paper WP/00/74.

6.    Grootaert, C. and van Bastelaer, T. (2001). Understanding and Measuring Social Capital: A Synthesis of Findings and Recommendations. Washington, DC: World Bank SCI.

7.    Knack, S. and Keefer, P. (1997). Does Social Capital Have an Economic Payoff?  A Country Investigation. College Park, MD: Univ. of Maryland IRIS.

8.    Royal Government of Bhutan, Office of the Census Commissioner, Thimphu. (2005). Results of Population and Housing Census of Bhutan 2005.

9.    Singerman, D. (1995). Chapter 3, “Networks:  the Political Lifeline of Community” in Avenues of Participation:  Family, Politics, and Networks in Urban Quarters of Cairo. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

 

Date last updated: May 30, 2015